Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley played nineteen seasons in the NBA. He started his professional career in 1985 with the Chicago Bulls, where he became teammate, protector, and close friend to Michael Jordan, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In 1988, he was traded to the New York Knicks, where he formed a starting lineup with fellow NBA All-Stars Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and Mark Jackson. The Knicks made the playoffs in each of the ten seasons Oakley was there. Oakley continued his career with three seasons on the Toronto Raptors, and retired in 2004 after playing additional seasons with Chicago, Washington, and Houston. He has given time and support to more than a hundred charities, and today can often be found cooking for people in impoverished and underprivileged communities through his Charles Oakley Foundation, a nonprofit that organizes fundraisers and community-building events. He splits his time between Atlanta, New York, and Cleveland, where he grew up.

Frank Isola spent twenty-five years covering the NBA and the New York Knicks at the Daily News (New York). His coverage earned him both an APSE sports writing award, as well a Deadline Club award. In 2015 he was voted New York Sportswriter of the Year. He currently is a regular on ESPN programs Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption. He also serves as the cohost on a morning show for SiriusXM NBA Radio, and as a studio analyst for the Nets in the YES Network.