Oakley wants to help Knicks

NYTimes/Charles Oakley said:

?I think I have a lot to teach these young guys,? Oakley, 46, said. ?Especially on the defensive end.?

Oakley said his former teammate Patrick Ewing did a great job this season as an assistant with the Orlando Magic. He said he could have similar success with the Knicks, and told the team?s president, Donnie Walsh, just that.

?Nowadays, you may have better athletes,? he said. ?But unless they?re taught, they aren?t going to do anything in the league. I talked with Donnie after the last home game and told him that I think I have a lot to offer this team. You can?t just score more points than last year without playing defense.?

Oakley was considered one of the best defensive players in the league when he played, often guarding the other team?s best offensive players. Although he was a power forward, Oakley also covered guards and centers.

?Your offense might not be great every game,? Oakley said. ?But defense is just about working hard and outworking your opponents. This team needs a lot of work defensively, and I think I can get the job done.?

?Knicks fans are the smartest in the world and they know you can?t just play one end of the court,? Oakley said.

Oakley said he could also teach the players how to win. He played for the Knicks from 1988 to 1998. The Knicks made the playoffs every year. The team has not made the postseason since 2004, but Oakley said the team was on the right track.

Click to expand...