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“Michael was more of a s**y player” - Charles Oakley says Michael Jordan was the ‘it factor’ as he talks about the differences between him and Patrick Ewing

March 17th, 2022

Few can match Michael Jordan in NBA history. While he played, it was even more apparent. Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks was seen as one of Jordan’s rivals, but Charles Oakley, a teammate of both, believes differently.

Oakley played with the Chicago Bulls for three seasons from 1985-88 and was then traded to the Knicks. He played 10 seasons in New York until 1998.

When Oakley played for the Bulls, Jordan was not at the height of his powers, only being in his fourth season in the NBA by the time Oakley was traded. While playing with Ewing, the Knicks and Bulls ran into the Bulls six times, giving Oakley a lot of time to see Jordan and Ewing face off.

On Shannon Sharpe's “Club Shay Shay” podcast, Oakley talked about Jordan and Ewing, saying:

“Michael was more of a sexy player, and he's a wing guy. He can rebound, bring the ball down and make plays. (Ewing's) a bigger guy, run straight down the middle of the floor, gotta wait for him to bring the ball, you gotta wait for him to get in the right position. I mean, it's like night and day. … Michael was the 'it' factor. Patrick was just a player.”

Jordan is rightfully one of the best players ever to play basketball. It is hard to compare him to anyone within his time or throughout NBA history. However, Ewing, a Hall of Famer, had an incredible career. He led the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1994. Ewing’s issue was injuries and running into Jordan.

Michael Jordan had a hold on the NBA – not just the Eastern Conference but all of it. In eight seasons, the Bulls won six NBA titles. In the two seasons they did not win, Jordan either did not play at all or played in only 17 games. As Jordan pursued and then gave up chasing a baseball career, the Houston Rockets won championships in 1994 and 1995.

In each of those championship seasons, Jordan was the NBA's leading scorer and led the playoffs in scoring. His dominance was undeniable, and no team in either conference could stop him from winning the NBA Finals. He kept legends like Ewing, John Stockton and Karl Malone from winning championships.

Jordan’s control over the NBA in the 1990s was something special that might never be seen again.

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Curated By

Maya Gupta
Investigative Journalist | Grassroots Movement Organizer | Economy Consultant/Speaker

Maya Gupta writes from the fault lines of a world that refuses to stay quiet. Focused on the collisions between culture, power, and accountability, her work cuts past polished narratives to expose what’s really moving beneath the surface. From the rise of creator-driven influence to athlete activism and grassroots resistance, she tracks the momentum shaping a generation unwilling to wait its turn. Her reporting doesn’t cater to comfort, it confronts it, challenging institutions that lean on legacy instead of legitimacy. With a voice rooted in urgency and a lens tuned to those often ignored, Maya delivers coverage that reflects the stakes as they are, not as they’re packaged. This is journalism that doesn’t just observe change, it stands in the middle of it, documenting the push, the backlash, and the undeniable shift underway.

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“Michael was more of a s**y player” - Charles Oakley says Michael Jordan was the ‘it factor’ as he talks about the differences between him and Patrick Ewing

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