“Michael Jordan went to his jump shot once I got traded to the Knicks!”: Knicks’ legend Charles Oakley talks to Draymond Green about how different MJ was as a teammate and a rival

Knicks’ legend Charles Oakley made his way onto the Draymond Green Show, talks about his relationship with Michael Jordan

When one thinks of Charles Oakley, one remembers the toughness and grit he brought to the paint. He was a sensation on the defensive end of the floor, single-handedly protecting the paint. Drafted in 1985 by the Cavs and the rights were given to the Bulls, Oakley got close with Michael Jordan early on. Jordan had just come off a ROTY season, and took Oakley under his wing.

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The duo started working out together in practice and became best friends. However, in 1988, the Bulls traded Oakley to the Knicks for developing Horace Grant and focusing more on him. MJ wasn’t a fan of the move. Recently, Oakley took out his book titled ‘The Last Enforcer’ where he talks about his life. He was on the Draymond Green Show, where they talked about the same, and discussed more, like his relationship with Michael Jordan.

“Michael Jordan did not dare to charge in the paint against me!”: Charles Oakley

While on the show, Draymond Green asked Charles what it felt like to be on the court with MJ and to be on the court against him. Oakley replied and said,

“Once I got traded to New York, I had to do the same thing. Whenever we faced the Bulls, he had to pull up… MJ talked a lot of trash, but he knew, if he came down that lane, he had to pay a toll.”

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Draymond Green went on to compare the kind of relationship Charles and MJ had to the one he shares with LeBron James. After their initial troubles on the court, the two have become close friends, business partners, and confidantes. The two have moved past their initial hashings, and while they’re friends off the court, they’re fiercely competitive on the court. Green claims to be the reason LBJ starting shooting from far, just like Oakley claims to have done for Jordan.