Charles Oakley | Legends in Session with Horace Grant

Charles Oakley: Beyond the Stats

Discover more about Oakley’s remarkable 19-season NBA career, including achievements, milestones, and lesser-known facts from his years with the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, and beyond.

Career at a Glance

  • NBA seasons: 19 (1985–2004)

  • Games played: 1,282

  • Career points: 12,417

  • Career rebounds: 12,205

  • Career assists: 3,217

  • NBA All-Star: 1994

  • All-Defensive First Team: 1994

  • All-Defensive Second Team: 1998

  • NBA rebounding leader: 1987–88

  • College: Virginia Union University

  • NBA Draft: 1985, 9th overall, Cleveland Cavaliers; traded to Chicago on draft night\

Did You Know?

  • A rebounding champion: Oakley led the NBA in total rebounds in both the 1986–87 and 1987–88 seasons.
  • A remarkable partnership: Oakley and Michael Jordan played together during Jordan’s first three NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls.
  • A Knicks mainstay: Oakley spent 10 seasons in New York, helping the Knicks reach the 1994 NBA Finals.
  • Elite longevity: His 1,282 regular-season games place him among the NBA’s longest-serving players.
  • A small-college standout: Before the NBA, Oakley developed his game at Division II Virginia Union University.

Charles Oakley’s Hall of Legends Induction

Watch Charles Oakley’s induction into the 2026 Legends in Session Hall of Legends, honoring his career, leadership, loyalty, and lasting influence on basketball.

 

Legends Give Back: The Charles Oakley Foundation

Oakley shares how his foundation supports communities through food assistance, youth programs, and outreach. Learn about the cause and the special signed memorabilia charity auction.