"He was the house, I was the furniture" - Charles Oakley on being Michael Jordan's 'enforcer' and making him more resilient during their Chicago Bulls days
NBA legend Michael Jordan's resilience was made with the help of his teammates from the Chicago Bulls roster.
Speaking on the Takeline Podcast, former Bulls and New York Knicks big man Charles Oakley talked about helping Jordan toughen up during his early days in the league. Oakley said:
"Well, basically he was the house; I was the furniture. So once you get a house, you got to add furniture to make it look good."
Oakley continued:
"He’s a special type of guy. When I came into the league, it was a tough league. So some of that is instilled for him when he got to the league, he had it on, being around me, seeing me handling things, handling people, making sure everything OK. I think a little bit rubbed off, but inside he has the toughness already with him. He just needed to see another blueprint of it."
Oakley is essentially talking about the physical abuse that MJ had to endure in his initial seasons as that was the only way some teams could stop Jordan. Oakley always had MJ's back on the court and would dish out retaliation from time to time as well.
Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley's friendship
Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley are best friends who forged a bond from their time together with the Chicago Bulls in the 1980s. The duo have often been seen together at events since retirement, and Oakley is considered one of MJ's most trusted confidants.
Their relationship started when the duo bonded on and off the court for the Bulls as Oakley was drafted into the league a year after MJ. Oakley was often seen as an enforcerer and protector of MJ from cheap shots and hard fouls. He was an excellent rebounder.
Michael Jordan’s Stats During The 1993 NBA Finals Were Unreal
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However, Chicago traded Oakley for Bill Cartwright of the New York Knicks as Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen developed into capable players better suited to the team's identity. Despite the heated, physical rivalry between the Knicks and the Bulls, Oakley and Jordan have remained close friends.
1993 NBA Finals | Michael Jordan Stats|
45.7 minutes per game
41.0 points
8.5 rebounds
6.3 assists per game
50.08% Field Goal
To make things more impressive he only recorded 2.7 turnovers per game during that series
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The two reunited with the Washington Wizards as MJ returned from his second retirement for a two-year stint and recruited Oakley, then a free agent. Oakley talked about this reunion in his book as an opportunity to spend more time with his best friend.