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The Last Enforcer: Outrageous Stories From the Life and Times of One of the NBA's Fiercest Competitors
In this “incredible read on some incredible days and nights in the old association” (Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN senior NBA insider) Charles Oakley— one of the toughest and most loyal players in NBA history—tells his unfiltered stories about his basketball journey and his relationships with Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, James Dolan, Donald Trump, George Floyd, and many others.
If you ask a New York Knicks fan about Charles Oakley, you better prepare to hear the love and a favorite story or two. But his individual stats weren’t remarkable, and while he helped power the Knicks to ten consecutive playoffs, he never won a championship. So why does he hold such a special place in the minds, hearts, and memories of NBA players and fans?
Because over the course of nineteen years in the league, Oakley was at the center of more unbelievable encounters than Forrest Gump, and nearly as many fights as Mike Tyson. He was the friend you wish you had, and the enemy you wish you’d never made. If any opposing player was crazy enough to start a fight with him, or God forbid one of his teammates, Oakley would end it.
“I can’t remember every rebound I grabbed but I do have a story—the true story—of just about every punch and slap on my resume,” he says.
In The Last Enforcer , Oakley shares one incredible story after the next—all in his signature “unflinchingly tough, honest, and ultimately endearing” (Harvey Araton, New York Times bestselling author) style—about his life in the paint and beyond, fighting for rebounds and respect. You’ll look back on the era of the 1990s NBA, when tough guys with rugged attitudes, unflinching loyalty, and hard-nosed work ethics were just as important as three-point sharpshooters. You’ll feel like you were on the court, in the room, can’t believe what you just saw, and need to tell everyone you know about it.
If you ask a New York Knicks fan about Charles Oakley, you better prepare to hear the love and a favorite story or two. But his individual stats weren’t remarkable, and while he helped power the Knicks to ten consecutive playoffs, he never won a championship. So why does he hold such a special place in the minds, hearts, and memories of NBA players and fans?
Because over the course of nineteen years in the league, Oakley was at the center of more unbelievable encounters than Forrest Gump, and nearly as many fights as Mike Tyson. He was the friend you wish you had, and the enemy you wish you’d never made. If any opposing player was crazy enough to start a fight with him, or God forbid one of his teammates, Oakley would end it.
“I can’t remember every rebound I grabbed but I do have a story—the true story—of just about every punch and slap on my resume,” he says.
In The Last Enforcer , Oakley shares one incredible story after the next—all in his signature “unflinchingly tough, honest, and ultimately endearing” (Harvey Araton, New York Times bestselling author) style—about his life in the paint and beyond, fighting for rebounds and respect. You’ll look back on the era of the 1990s NBA, when tough guys with rugged attitudes, unflinching loyalty, and hard-nosed work ethics were just as important as three-point sharpshooters. You’ll feel like you were on the court, in the room, can’t believe what you just saw, and need to tell everyone you know about it.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
73 people are currently reading
3260 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
April 29, 2022
Charles Oakley would like you to know:
- All of the current NBA players are spoiled big babies and the sport has become unwatchable
- While he lost a bunch of times in the playoffs it was never his fault
- He is very tough, while Charles Barkley is not very tough
- James Dolan is a giant bozo (fair dues on this one, Oak, fair dues)
- He once got into a fight with Judge Mathis over a big restaurant bill (ok this story was actually pretty cool)
This book was a huge slog. Oakley is a poor writer and while he clearly holds no punches in his criticism of everyone (except for him!) he just comes off as curmudgeonly, his stories are pretty boring, and you basically just get a year-by-year account of his NBA career with him complaining and flexing in equal measure.
- All of the current NBA players are spoiled big babies and the sport has become unwatchable
- While he lost a bunch of times in the playoffs it was never his fault
- He is very tough, while Charles Barkley is not very tough
- James Dolan is a giant bozo (fair dues on this one, Oak, fair dues)
- He once got into a fight with Judge Mathis over a big restaurant bill (ok this story was actually pretty cool)
This book was a huge slog. Oakley is a poor writer and while he clearly holds no punches in his criticism of everyone (except for him!) he just comes off as curmudgeonly, his stories are pretty boring, and you basically just get a year-by-year account of his NBA career with him complaining and flexing in equal measure.
January 13, 2023
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Charles Oakley tells us about his life and career in the NBA, and complains that the NBA is soft, which it is. He goes through his time with the Bulls and the Knicks, complains about the incident where Shaq acted like he was going to hit somebody for fouling him, as if Shaq didn't commit fouls every time he touched the ball.
Reminded me a lot of a bio I read years ago with the title "They Call Me The Assassin" about a dirty football player.
Charles Oakley tells us about his life and career in the NBA, and complains that the NBA is soft, which it is. He goes through his time with the Bulls and the Knicks, complains about the incident where Shaq acted like he was going to hit somebody for fouling him, as if Shaq didn't commit fouls every time he touched the ball.
Reminded me a lot of a bio I read years ago with the title "They Call Me The Assassin" about a dirty football player.
February 26, 2022
On one hand, this was an interesting read that gave some insight into my favorite era (by far) of the NBA - the 80's and 90's - aka The Golden Era. That being said, Oakley has a beef with so many people and is angry about so many things, it's a little overwhelming. This guy hold grudges like no other and he trash talks so much it was kind of nauseating. No question that I loved watching this guy play, but how many times do I need to know about his friendship with MJ or his hatred of Barkley or his anger towards the Knicks owner? It goes on and on. Fun, light read, but underwhelming as well.
March 12, 2023
Did you know Charles Oakley is a real man? Did you know he's friends with Michael Jordan? If not, don't worry, because he tells you over and over in this book. It's confusing, to read dhim go on and on about how tough a guy he is, while simultaneously talking about following around other NBA stars like a puppy dog. He does leave some room to completely dis former teammates. You know, the guys that carried him and made sure we knew his name.
Growing up during his era, it was fun to read about the behind the scenes aspects of notable events I remember when the NBA was at its peak. But damn, this guy's something else.
Growing up during his era, it was fun to read about the behind the scenes aspects of notable events I remember when the NBA was at its peak. But damn, this guy's something else.
February 6, 2022
So glad I pre-ordered. They don't make 'em like Oak anymore.
I always enjoyed watching him play, no matter what uniform he wore, and I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. If you enjoyed 80's and 90's NBA games, then the book is for you. If you like stories of people coming from meager means and making themselves successful through hard work and a consistent moral set, the book is for you (gambling aside. Lol)
Heck, if you just like entertaining anecdotes of a simpler, better time, the book is for you.
I always enjoyed watching him play, no matter what uniform he wore, and I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. If you enjoyed 80's and 90's NBA games, then the book is for you. If you like stories of people coming from meager means and making themselves successful through hard work and a consistent moral set, the book is for you (gambling aside. Lol)
Heck, if you just like entertaining anecdotes of a simpler, better time, the book is for you.
September 7, 2022
This memoir is equally refreshing and annoying. Refreshing because Oakley takes a no-holds-barred approach here, sparing nobody’s feelings. Celebrity memoirs can be exhausting because the authors tend to be so worried about image-protection that they don’t tell us who they really are. Oakley, on the other hand, has no filter, and what you see on these pages appears to be what’s really transpiring in his mind. After a while, however, this gets old. Oakley at first seems to be more honest than your average celebrity memoirist, but as the book progresses, as he talks shit about Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing and pretty much everybody he’s ever interacted with, you realize that his own narcissistic blindspots likely make him pretty unreliable in his own right.
July 1, 2022
I read this because Oak was Micheal Jordan's protector in the 80s before getting traded to the Knicks for Bill Cartwright. Later, the Knicks and Bulls would have epic playoff battles as the Bulls won their rings. I loved Oak's toughness on the Bulls and the Knicks. All that being said, Oak is a meathead. He talks about punching other people, slapping Charles Barkley, and has the gall to say hes not a violent person. What? He shares some stories of his time in the league, some details of his personal life and I stepped away from this book realizing that I do not need to know any more about Oak.
January 18, 2022
The stories in this book are raw, hilarious and reveal the driving forces behind a famous NBA player. Without giving up too many details, there is so much life on every page.
February 8, 2022
4.25 stars
The Last Enforcer is the perfect title for this book. They don’t make em like Oak anymore! One of the toughest guys the NBA ever saw, and a helluva rebounder! He tells some great stories from his great career. If that Knicks team didn’t have to deal with Jordan they probably would have won 1 or 2 titles and made it to the finals 4 times, IMO.
The Last Enforcer is the perfect title for this book. They don’t make em like Oak anymore! One of the toughest guys the NBA ever saw, and a helluva rebounder! He tells some great stories from his great career. If that Knicks team didn’t have to deal with Jordan they probably would have won 1 or 2 titles and made it to the finals 4 times, IMO.
March 15, 2022
I'm afraid to critique "The Last Enforcer" too much because Charles Oakley may find me and beat me up. It seems like Oak has never met a person whom he didn't agree with that he didn't push, shove, slap or punch.
I just read "Blood in the Garden," by Chris Herring that recaps the tough era of the New York Knicks' 1990 teams of which Oakley was a member. So I got the context that the NBA was a rough game back then. Oakley takes it to another level, telling tales of fights in practice, with opponents, with Charles Barkley and with Knicks security guards at Madison Square Garden.
The book begins fun with his time with the Chicago Bulls, but then it moves into a more angry, bitter tirade. He also drops names like a B-listed guy in Hollywood, so much so that there's several pages of names in the index. And, he's good friends with Michael Jordan and LeBron James. And he knows George Floyd, the person who died during an arrest in Minneapolis. If you didn't get that while reading the book, you missed about 32 gazillion references to those points.
Maybe he had a chip on his shoulder, as they say. He was traded to New York from Chicago and the Bulls took off winning six championships. He claims he was instrumental in getting James to Miami and had tried to get him to New York at one point. He seemed angry at a lot of people and he doesn't pull any punches.
The basketball game writing was fun. This is a decent written book, but I became tired of all the sour grapes he did. Generally, attitudes don't make it into book reviews that I do. I judge the book's writing style, or story, not the person telling it. But in this case, the repetitive rants overwhelmed the other aspects of the book, hence the three-star rating.
Crap, now I'll have to watch out that Oakley doesn't beat me up.
I just read "Blood in the Garden," by Chris Herring that recaps the tough era of the New York Knicks' 1990 teams of which Oakley was a member. So I got the context that the NBA was a rough game back then. Oakley takes it to another level, telling tales of fights in practice, with opponents, with Charles Barkley and with Knicks security guards at Madison Square Garden.
The book begins fun with his time with the Chicago Bulls, but then it moves into a more angry, bitter tirade. He also drops names like a B-listed guy in Hollywood, so much so that there's several pages of names in the index. And, he's good friends with Michael Jordan and LeBron James. And he knows George Floyd, the person who died during an arrest in Minneapolis. If you didn't get that while reading the book, you missed about 32 gazillion references to those points.
Maybe he had a chip on his shoulder, as they say. He was traded to New York from Chicago and the Bulls took off winning six championships. He claims he was instrumental in getting James to Miami and had tried to get him to New York at one point. He seemed angry at a lot of people and he doesn't pull any punches.
The basketball game writing was fun. This is a decent written book, but I became tired of all the sour grapes he did. Generally, attitudes don't make it into book reviews that I do. I judge the book's writing style, or story, not the person telling it. But in this case, the repetitive rants overwhelmed the other aspects of the book, hence the three-star rating.
Crap, now I'll have to watch out that Oakley doesn't beat me up.
February 13, 2022
Excellent memoir from one of the true enforcers of the league. Great stories with no filters, nice work Oak!
January 7, 2023
There are no outrageous stories in this book. This book is Charles Oakley talking about how everyone was afraid of him when he played and how much the current NBA sucks and how current NBA players are soft and couldn’t play in his era blah blah blah. He comes off like a jaded whiner and I had to keep reading this to the end because of how funny it was getting to hear him complain. There are a ton of stories about MJ and LeBron (none of which you’ve not heard before or offer any new insights). It’s clear Oak worships MJ and probably the highlight of his career was the friendship that came from them playing together. If you’re looking for new stories or insights into 80s & 90s NBA - give this a pass. If you want to chuckle at 60 year old man complain non-stop - read this right now.
March 27, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: ALL THE FIGHTS I’VE HAD… SOMEONE STARTS IT… I END IT… BECAUSE I FIGHT LIKE A MAN. THAT’S THE WAY I WAS RAISED
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Oakley’s life story is told… exactly as he played… no holds barred… no one is immune. Just like his elbows and fists snapped out at any given moment… at any given opponent… or teammate… so does his words. Not only lightning bolts of inside truth about opponents and teammates… but even his best friends aren’t immune from “Big-Oaks” critique. You want a great example… look at the one and only Michael Jordan… one of Oakley’s best friends.
Despite starting his career as not only Jordan’s teammate… but also becoming his protector… Oakley without hesitation states for the world to read… exactly what my son and I would always yell out at the screen with indignation… (the following are my son and my lifetime of words… through Oakley’s actual quotes!)… “THE WHOLE THING SEEMED RIGGED. I WOULD TELL MICHAEL, “YOU TRAVEL ALL THE TIME AND IT NEVER GETS CALLED. WE’RE PLAYING SIX AGAINST FIVE.” (chorus from my son and I… AMEN BROTHER!)… “HE GOT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FROM THE OFFICIALS, WHICH WAS B.S.. HE SHOULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN EVERY CALL!” (AMEN BROTHER!)…”ALL THE BASKETBALL ANALYSTS WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE BIG WEAKNESSES WITH OUR TEAM WAS THAT NO ONE COULD SCORE (on the Bulls) BESIDES MICHAEL. MY THING WAS “HOW ARE WE GOING TO SCORE IF THERE ARE NO PLAYS RUN FOR THE REST OF US?” (AMEN BROTHER!)
Now that I’ve got the attention of every true old-school basketball fan and player… let’s go back to the beginning and move forward. Oakley from Cleveland… spent much of his formative years with his Grandfather in Alabama while his Mother worked to be able to afford a house and a better life in Cleveland. His role model for his entire life on and off the court was his hardworking and honorable Grandfather… Julius Moss. In fact “Big-Oak” dedicates his book to him… eloquently stating: “To my Grandfather Julius Moss, who believed in hard work, and being a man of your word.” (Another chorus from my son and me… AMEN BROTHER!)
The reader is then taken by the author’s strong hand through his college and pro career. The bulk of his career was with the New York Knicks… who became the most physically intimidating team (not by words… BUT BY ACTION!). As I touted from the start of my review… no one… and I mean no one… is spared from the tip of Oakley’s spear of truth. Though having nice words to say about longtime teammate Patrick Ewing… he also unflinchingly states: “THERE ARE” A” PLAYERS, “B” PLAYERS, AND “C” PLAYERS. MICHAEL IS AN “A” PLAYER. PATRICK IS A “B” PLAYER. WE NEVER HAD A TRUE “A” PLAYER ON THE KNICKS.” When Pat Riley became coach of the Knicks… it was a match made in heaven for Oakley… and many fans may be a little surprised how hard Oakley always worked… whether in practice or in games… it wasn’t just mouthing off and swinging elbows and fists… and personally as a lifetime Pat Riley fan (and I’m talking about as far back as when he was jumping at center for the University of Kentucky!)… Oak’s statement of what it was like playing for Riley… the following statement sent chills up my spine… “THAT’S PAT RILEY. HE WAS CONSTANTLY PUSHING US, MOTIVATING US, TESTING US, AND SENDING US SUBTLE AND NOT-SO-SUBTLE MESSAGES. I ALWAYS SAID THAT PLAYING FOR PAT RILEY WAS LIKE GOING FROM BEING A RESERVE IN THE MILITARY TO TRAINING TO BECOME A NAVY SEAL. IT WAS MY BOOT CAMP. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF PRACTICE WITH PAT RILEY YOU’RE LIKE, “SO THIS IS HOW THE BIG BOYS WORK.” I can’t think of any greater compliment for a coach!
From there… if you can believe it… the book gets better and better… from slapping Barkley across the face and having him run away… and “Mention my name to Barkley today and he’ll still go the other way.” He states “Laimbeer who was an A-hole”… “McHALE WAS LIKE KARL MALONE, BOTH OF THEM CRIED AND FLOPPED ALL THE TIME, EVEN IF THEY HAD GOOD MOVES.” There are 50-100 more of such classic quotes and comments… all the way to his recent run-ins with Knicks owner James Dolan… whose only claim to fame according to Oakley is… “All the Knicks have done with James Dolan is lose basketball games.”
I must also make sure to mention what a wonderful job co-author Frank Isola did. I have never previously read anything by Frank. I only knew of him as the periodic co-host of the TV program “Pardon The Interruption”. I always thought he was a shining light on that program whether he co-hosted with “Hubie Brown’s bald older brother who lives in an attic… and wears counterfeit off brand used Bear Bryant hats…. Or co-hosted with the other bald guy who wears two zip up shirts at the same time along with a coat… and has a “pocket-protector”… (he thinks he’s making a fashion statement… and he actually is… but not the kind he thinks he is!) and so off-putting… talks with his eyes closed half the time… making the viewing audience… hope someone comes on set and acts like it’s a Mafia funeral and sticks a needle in his leg to see if he’s really dead. So that’s the only experience I had with Frank Isola… until these written words… and I’m happy to say… he was just as intellectually stimulating and entertaining as he is on TV.
A great book!
P.S. If you’re an old-school player/fan… and tired of today’s cream-puffs… and their giant contracts… and their despicable “load-management” wussy-ism” two quotes for the road while you break the land speed record to buy this book…”I THINK THAT 20 PERCENT OF TODAY’S GUYS WOULD BE TOUGH ENOUGH TO PLAY IN OUR ERA. MAYBE NOT EVEN THAT MANY.” (AMEN BROTHER!!)… and… “IN THE NBA THE MONEY GOT BIGGER AND THE GAME GOT WEAKER.” (AMEN BROTHER!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Oakley’s life story is told… exactly as he played… no holds barred… no one is immune. Just like his elbows and fists snapped out at any given moment… at any given opponent… or teammate… so does his words. Not only lightning bolts of inside truth about opponents and teammates… but even his best friends aren’t immune from “Big-Oaks” critique. You want a great example… look at the one and only Michael Jordan… one of Oakley’s best friends.
Despite starting his career as not only Jordan’s teammate… but also becoming his protector… Oakley without hesitation states for the world to read… exactly what my son and I would always yell out at the screen with indignation… (the following are my son and my lifetime of words… through Oakley’s actual quotes!)… “THE WHOLE THING SEEMED RIGGED. I WOULD TELL MICHAEL, “YOU TRAVEL ALL THE TIME AND IT NEVER GETS CALLED. WE’RE PLAYING SIX AGAINST FIVE.” (chorus from my son and I… AMEN BROTHER!)… “HE GOT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FROM THE OFFICIALS, WHICH WAS B.S.. HE SHOULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN EVERY CALL!” (AMEN BROTHER!)…”ALL THE BASKETBALL ANALYSTS WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE BIG WEAKNESSES WITH OUR TEAM WAS THAT NO ONE COULD SCORE (on the Bulls) BESIDES MICHAEL. MY THING WAS “HOW ARE WE GOING TO SCORE IF THERE ARE NO PLAYS RUN FOR THE REST OF US?” (AMEN BROTHER!)
Now that I’ve got the attention of every true old-school basketball fan and player… let’s go back to the beginning and move forward. Oakley from Cleveland… spent much of his formative years with his Grandfather in Alabama while his Mother worked to be able to afford a house and a better life in Cleveland. His role model for his entire life on and off the court was his hardworking and honorable Grandfather… Julius Moss. In fact “Big-Oak” dedicates his book to him… eloquently stating: “To my Grandfather Julius Moss, who believed in hard work, and being a man of your word.” (Another chorus from my son and me… AMEN BROTHER!)
The reader is then taken by the author’s strong hand through his college and pro career. The bulk of his career was with the New York Knicks… who became the most physically intimidating team (not by words… BUT BY ACTION!). As I touted from the start of my review… no one… and I mean no one… is spared from the tip of Oakley’s spear of truth. Though having nice words to say about longtime teammate Patrick Ewing… he also unflinchingly states: “THERE ARE” A” PLAYERS, “B” PLAYERS, AND “C” PLAYERS. MICHAEL IS AN “A” PLAYER. PATRICK IS A “B” PLAYER. WE NEVER HAD A TRUE “A” PLAYER ON THE KNICKS.” When Pat Riley became coach of the Knicks… it was a match made in heaven for Oakley… and many fans may be a little surprised how hard Oakley always worked… whether in practice or in games… it wasn’t just mouthing off and swinging elbows and fists… and personally as a lifetime Pat Riley fan (and I’m talking about as far back as when he was jumping at center for the University of Kentucky!)… Oak’s statement of what it was like playing for Riley… the following statement sent chills up my spine… “THAT’S PAT RILEY. HE WAS CONSTANTLY PUSHING US, MOTIVATING US, TESTING US, AND SENDING US SUBTLE AND NOT-SO-SUBTLE MESSAGES. I ALWAYS SAID THAT PLAYING FOR PAT RILEY WAS LIKE GOING FROM BEING A RESERVE IN THE MILITARY TO TRAINING TO BECOME A NAVY SEAL. IT WAS MY BOOT CAMP. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF PRACTICE WITH PAT RILEY YOU’RE LIKE, “SO THIS IS HOW THE BIG BOYS WORK.” I can’t think of any greater compliment for a coach!
From there… if you can believe it… the book gets better and better… from slapping Barkley across the face and having him run away… and “Mention my name to Barkley today and he’ll still go the other way.” He states “Laimbeer who was an A-hole”… “McHALE WAS LIKE KARL MALONE, BOTH OF THEM CRIED AND FLOPPED ALL THE TIME, EVEN IF THEY HAD GOOD MOVES.” There are 50-100 more of such classic quotes and comments… all the way to his recent run-ins with Knicks owner James Dolan… whose only claim to fame according to Oakley is… “All the Knicks have done with James Dolan is lose basketball games.”
I must also make sure to mention what a wonderful job co-author Frank Isola did. I have never previously read anything by Frank. I only knew of him as the periodic co-host of the TV program “Pardon The Interruption”. I always thought he was a shining light on that program whether he co-hosted with “Hubie Brown’s bald older brother who lives in an attic… and wears counterfeit off brand used Bear Bryant hats…. Or co-hosted with the other bald guy who wears two zip up shirts at the same time along with a coat… and has a “pocket-protector”… (he thinks he’s making a fashion statement… and he actually is… but not the kind he thinks he is!) and so off-putting… talks with his eyes closed half the time… making the viewing audience… hope someone comes on set and acts like it’s a Mafia funeral and sticks a needle in his leg to see if he’s really dead. So that’s the only experience I had with Frank Isola… until these written words… and I’m happy to say… he was just as intellectually stimulating and entertaining as he is on TV.
A great book!
P.S. If you’re an old-school player/fan… and tired of today’s cream-puffs… and their giant contracts… and their despicable “load-management” wussy-ism” two quotes for the road while you break the land speed record to buy this book…”I THINK THAT 20 PERCENT OF TODAY’S GUYS WOULD BE TOUGH ENOUGH TO PLAY IN OUR ERA. MAYBE NOT EVEN THAT MANY.” (AMEN BROTHER!!)… and… “IN THE NBA THE MONEY GOT BIGGER AND THE GAME GOT WEAKER.” (AMEN BROTHER!)
July 4, 2023
The good:
-Chronicles his times in Chicago and NY well
- Objective, even complimentary towards Lebron James
- old time stories with celebrities and other pro athletes
The bad:
- too many stories with Michael Jordan
- Stupid shit about people owing him money or other transgressions
- Comes off as bitter with respect to a lot of the times in his nba career when he fell short
- Incessant Ewing criticism. I get it but it’s enough already.
In these memoirs why do we need the guys thoughts on todays world? Never comes off well.
-Chronicles his times in Chicago and NY well
- Objective, even complimentary towards Lebron James
- old time stories with celebrities and other pro athletes
The bad:
- too many stories with Michael Jordan
- Stupid shit about people owing him money or other transgressions
- Comes off as bitter with respect to a lot of the times in his nba career when he fell short
- Incessant Ewing criticism. I get it but it’s enough already.
In these memoirs why do we need the guys thoughts on todays world? Never comes off well.
June 14, 2022
Was in a reading funk and needed a light read. If you’re a fan of 90s / early 2000s NBA, you will enjoy.
February 3, 2024
This was a very disappointing book. I had hoped to learn something about Charles Oakley that I didn't know already, but sadly there is nothing in this book like that. The subtitle is "Outreageous Stories", so maybe I shouldn't have expected to learn much about him, but it really could've been called "Charles Oakley Likes to Punch People". He also loves to name drop, he worships Michael Jordan, dislikes Charles Barkley, hates James Dolan (to be fair, who doesn't) and is disdainful of Patrick Ewing. He constantly takes shots at Ewing during the book. Look, everyone knows Patrick won 0 NBA titles, but during the last six years when Jordan played full-time, nobody beat the Bulls. Yes, they should've beaten the Rockets, but if John Starks had made one or two more shots, they would have. Oakley seems to blame Ewing personally for the Knicks not winning. Although later Oakley reveals he never forgave Ewing for not coming to Oakley's defense when Dolan had him thrown out of MSG and arrested a few years ago. The book is mostly just stories of how Oakley punched Jeff McInnis, punched Tyrone Hill, how he almost punched Lamar Odor before Odom backed down. He doesn't talk about his family at all. The only reason I knew he was married with kids is because he mentions them in the acknowledgements at the end of the book. He also mentions owning a restaurant, but he only says that because Dennis Rodman was at one of his restaurants acting like a jackass and Oakley almost punched him and forced Rodman to leave. He also takes some credit for LeBron going to Miami. Oakley said that he told Pat Riley that LeBron may was interested in joining the Heat before he left Cleveland the first time. The idea that Riley wouldn't have known about LeBron's friendship with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and they were considering joining forces is preposterous. He also takes credit for Vince Carter almost leading the Raptors to the Eastern finals in 2001, then blames Carter for losing in Game 7 to the 76ers after going to Chapel Hill the morning of the game. There are times when you feel sympathetic, as when Oakley recalls getting pulled over many times basically for driving a nice car while being Black. However, he also gets into scuffles with security guards at hotels and arenas where this was not the case. I'm also sure he's bitter about the Bulls winning those championships after they traded him. Oakley insists they would've won with him instead of Bill Cartwright. Who knows? There are some entertaining stories in here, but overall Oakley comes across as an angry asshole.
February 25, 2022
Book 11 of 2022 (audio)
I wonder if Oak could have grabbed 1,000 more rebounds without that giant chip on his shoulder. Probably the chip is what drove him.
I cannot stomach the NBA. Today's game is no more real than WWE matches. While I did not watch much NBA growing up, at least it seemed real. So to hear some of the tales from that era from a guy after at the center of the best tales...I thought it could be great. I enjoyed the book enough but thought it fell short of any greatness.
As the title suggests, Oakley had a job to do. I did not quite expect that edge to come through in the writing, but it's definitely written in tough-guy prose. The audio reader also did a nice job sound gruff.
Unfortunately, that's not really my jam. While I believe Oakley's stories as he tells them, I don't always understand the need to be so confrontational. No doubt that mindset kept him in the league all those years, and maybe even kept him alive. I have no doubt he has better stories than were in the book. But too much stuff about Michael and LeBron and not enough stuff from one of the most dramatic guys to step on the floor.
I wonder if Oak could have grabbed 1,000 more rebounds without that giant chip on his shoulder. Probably the chip is what drove him.
I cannot stomach the NBA. Today's game is no more real than WWE matches. While I did not watch much NBA growing up, at least it seemed real. So to hear some of the tales from that era from a guy after at the center of the best tales...I thought it could be great. I enjoyed the book enough but thought it fell short of any greatness.
As the title suggests, Oakley had a job to do. I did not quite expect that edge to come through in the writing, but it's definitely written in tough-guy prose. The audio reader also did a nice job sound gruff.
Unfortunately, that's not really my jam. While I believe Oakley's stories as he tells them, I don't always understand the need to be so confrontational. No doubt that mindset kept him in the league all those years, and maybe even kept him alive. I have no doubt he has better stories than were in the book. But too much stuff about Michael and LeBron and not enough stuff from one of the most dramatic guys to step on the floor.
March 13, 2022
Overall I’d rate it somewhere along a 3.5. The book was interesting about a basketball player who I didn’t remember but played alongside greats as Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing. This book mainly centers around players from the 80s and 90s. Considering I’m an 80s baby, there’s plenty of players that I didn’t know but a fair number that I did. This book would have been great for an avid sports fan that knows many players, coaches, management from that time. This book is so name heavy that they have 5-6 pages of names in the index at the end. This is also what slowed me down considerably while reading. It was very interesting but the way Oakley writes about his aggressiveness reminds me of a Dennis Rodman type player. I really enjoyed the Bulls growing up and this book does revolve quite a bit around the Bulls and MJ. I could have gone without a chapter that involves political bias. 95% of the book focused mainly on basketball, relationships and altercations. Overall a decent read but would be much better for a basketball fan much more familiar with the sport.
June 21, 2022
The Last Enforcer: Outrageous Stories from the Life and Times of One of the NBA's Fiercest Competitors by Charles Oakley is the memoir of the former pro basketball player who was considered to be one of the toughest competitors in NBA history. The book is heavy on statistics on plays and games from the 80's and 90's and if you enjoy reading this sort of book, you might enjoy this one. While I love watching basketball, Oakley tends to quote how many points and how many steals, etc. occurred in these games ad nauseum. Also, while there are things about Oakley's personality that I admire, such as his loyalty to his teammates and friends, I found that his pride in being what he called the Enforcer to be somewhat reprehensible at times. It seems that if anyone crossed him deliberately or inadvertently, they made an enemy for life and whether he attacked them verbally or physically, they were going to be on his "hit list" for life. The book gives an insight into basketball as it was played during this era, but it fails to give much insight into Charles Oakley the person.
March 23, 2024
A decent read but not as comprehensive as I would have liked in regard to Oakley's formative years and his college years. There is very little detail about his college basketball years and heavy emphasis on his relationship with Michael Jordan. Oakley devotes so much time to his adoration of Michael Jordan that I had to ask myself several times, Is this a book about Michael Jordan or Charles Oakley? The book fails to provide a lot of deep insight into Oakley's personality and essentially becomes a collection of stories about Oakley's run-ins (many of which are well-known to the average NBA fan) with other players in the league and people who've rubbed him the wrong way in some shape or form. In my opinion, this was a missed opportunity to give the public a deeper and more well-rounded depiction of Charles Oakley, the human being vs. Oak, the notorious NBA brute, but maybe that wasn't the intention here. Overall, the book is an entertaining read if you can stomach all the Michael Jordan fawning and put-downs of his former NY Knick teammate, Patrick Ewing.
November 24, 2022
It was definitely great hearing Charles' story but he definitely has his favorites from his time in the NBA and outside but there are definitely some people he did not care for at all that he was very vocal about. It was nice to see that kind of loyalty but also tough to see some of my own heroes bashed. It is his own personal autobiography, so he will speak how he feels and speaking his mind is not something that he has ever shied away from.
He clearly has personal relationships with MJ and Lebron, but I felt that Kobe was over-sighted quite a bit and it almost felt like a slight of many other great ball players..but again personal opinion and his autobiography. I felt at times it would have been nice to hear more about other players that he wasn't on a team with..but overall taking in personal accounts knowing the type of person he is it was worth a read if you want to reminisce about basketball in the 80's or 90's
He clearly has personal relationships with MJ and Lebron, but I felt that Kobe was over-sighted quite a bit and it almost felt like a slight of many other great ball players..but again personal opinion and his autobiography. I felt at times it would have been nice to hear more about other players that he wasn't on a team with..but overall taking in personal accounts knowing the type of person he is it was worth a read if you want to reminisce about basketball in the 80's or 90's
August 26, 2022
Largely succeeds in painting Oakley as the Omar of the NBA, a man apart who sometimes employs taboo methods in upholding his perosnal code. It turns out that, outside of Oakley's family, Jerry Krause is the only person capable of meeting Oakley's standards! Maybe LeBron. Jordan gets criticized more than either of them. Oakley completely destroys Ewing, constantly referring to him as a B player and a second option. Charles Barkley also gets the full Oakley treatment. Lamar Odom, along with dozens of others, is depicted as a cowering fraud with a couple offhand comments.
I'm not sure I could reasonably justify my enjoyment of this book, but I'm not going to lie about it. Oakley also spends a lot of time bloviating about Kids These Days and, were it not for him explicitly stating otherwise, I would have suspected that he was probably a right-winger. But it's Charles Oakley! I forgive him.
I'm not sure I could reasonably justify my enjoyment of this book, but I'm not going to lie about it. Oakley also spends a lot of time bloviating about Kids These Days and, were it not for him explicitly stating otherwise, I would have suspected that he was probably a right-winger. But it's Charles Oakley! I forgive him.
January 12, 2023
Note: I got a free copy through a Goodreads giveaway
This is a collection of stories from Charles Oakley's life interspersed with (perhaps overly detailed) play-by-plays of games he played in and interactions with other famous people in the basketball world.
Parts were faster reads/more interesting than others. Overall, I enjoyed getting a sense of the evolution of the basketball world from the late 80s to today, and some of the anecdotes were worth the read. On the other hand, Oakley is completely unapologetic about his past physicality and seems to blame his teams' losses on everyone but himself.
All in all, while I think it's a good thing that basketball has moved away from the punch-first-and-ask-questions-later era into what Oakley perceives as a "softer" present style, it was an interesting reflection on what basketball was like in Oakley's time.
This is a collection of stories from Charles Oakley's life interspersed with (perhaps overly detailed) play-by-plays of games he played in and interactions with other famous people in the basketball world.
Parts were faster reads/more interesting than others. Overall, I enjoyed getting a sense of the evolution of the basketball world from the late 80s to today, and some of the anecdotes were worth the read. On the other hand, Oakley is completely unapologetic about his past physicality and seems to blame his teams' losses on everyone but himself.
All in all, while I think it's a good thing that basketball has moved away from the punch-first-and-ask-questions-later era into what Oakley perceives as a "softer" present style, it was an interesting reflection on what basketball was like in Oakley's time.
July 29, 2022
I truly enjoyed this book because it was a fun, fast moving, and detailed book.
Charles Oakley is a straight shooter and his authenticity is clear which is why his teammates trusted him and he had a long career.
While his approach read at times quite petty and impulsive he at his core is a self driven leader and the glue of a team. His honest appraisal of teammates, coaches, and general management makes this a fun book to read because he is the authentic enforcer you saw on the court.
My favorite part of the book was when he detailed each of his years with the New York Knicks and he appraises each season and the playoff trials they went through. 1992-1995 were special years for the Knicks and he brings that time period to life akin to watching a documentary.
Charles Oakley is a straight shooter and his authenticity is clear which is why his teammates trusted him and he had a long career.
While his approach read at times quite petty and impulsive he at his core is a self driven leader and the glue of a team. His honest appraisal of teammates, coaches, and general management makes this a fun book to read because he is the authentic enforcer you saw on the court.
My favorite part of the book was when he detailed each of his years with the New York Knicks and he appraises each season and the playoff trials they went through. 1992-1995 were special years for the Knicks and he brings that time period to life akin to watching a documentary.
January 17, 2023
Best line in the book "I am not a violent man.". This was toward the end when he was talking about the incident at MSG. I laughed out loud because most of the book he talks about punching, slapping, and threatening other players on and off the court. I don't want to know his definition of a violent man. I enjoyed his stories and didn't realize that he was as good as he was. I kind of wish he had a chapter about his cooking group as I am curious how that started and what he specializes in. He is still very angry at the Knicks but I love how he says it like it is... And sometimes how he sees it in his mind. I don't think I would want to work with him as he seemed to have issues using tact to resolve conflict. Good read overall and Outrageous stories is pretty accurate.
March 15, 2022
Hey
Overall, this was a good book to hear about an nba veteran who played with Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Vince Carter during their prime
He also is very close to Michael Jordan so the reader gets more in dept views of Michael, rather than his public persona
Half of the book was about his scuffles and altercations that he got into with other players
Overall though, this book is more for basketball historians and not for someone who likes to dig deep into the personal character of someone
I recommend the book for people who wants another perspective on 80s/90s basketball, from a tough guy's perspective
Overall, this was a good book to hear about an nba veteran who played with Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Vince Carter during their prime
He also is very close to Michael Jordan so the reader gets more in dept views of Michael, rather than his public persona
Half of the book was about his scuffles and altercations that he got into with other players
Overall though, this book is more for basketball historians and not for someone who likes to dig deep into the personal character of someone
I recommend the book for people who wants another perspective on 80s/90s basketball, from a tough guy's perspective
October 20, 2022
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Heat fan. My best friend is a Knicks fan, and you can imaging the barber shop style arguments we've had over the years. At the height of the Heat/Knicks rivalry, he came to Florida for a visit. I took him to a game. Not only did New York win, "Let's Go Knicks" chants erupted throughout the arena. The American Airlines arena! Talk about pouring salt on a wound. Guess who was starting at power forward at that game. That's right. Charles Oakley.
This is probably my signature Oakley memory. I hated him then, but now I look back with fondness. That was a fun time to be a fan. You never knew if your team would go on a run or clobber each other.
This is probably my signature Oakley memory. I hated him then, but now I look back with fondness. That was a fun time to be a fan. You never knew if your team would go on a run or clobber each other.
October 8, 2023
One of the best basketball books I've ever read, and by far the frankest. Oakley's curse filled broadsides at his detractors and critics (Barkley and James Dolan, raise your hands!) are hilarious to hear. So many athletes these days speak in sanitized and banal language meant never to offend anyone, and Oakley, to his everlasting credit and through frequent reminders to his readers along the way, does not give a FUCK what anyone thinks of him. Oakley's take on the flopping and foul-free state of the modern NBA is prescient and entirely true. He's a relic and a testament to the greatest era of the NBA, and this book was terrific fun to read.
Read
December 25, 2025An average book at best. It has very little to do with his journey to getting to the NBA and more with over-praising Michael Jordan. Here is everything you need to know about this book:
1. Everyone in the NBA nowdays is a big baby and would never be good enough to play against the old heads in the 80's and 90's.
2. Charles is one of the toughest players to ever play on the court
3. Michael Jordan got to where he was not only because of his skill but also because of Charles.
4. Charles Oakley did in fact slap Charles Barkley and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
If you want to read a proper NBA autobiography, look into Kevin Garnett and DeMar DeRozan's books.
1. Everyone in the NBA nowdays is a big baby and would never be good enough to play against the old heads in the 80's and 90's.
2. Charles is one of the toughest players to ever play on the court
3. Michael Jordan got to where he was not only because of his skill but also because of Charles.
4. Charles Oakley did in fact slap Charles Barkley and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
If you want to read a proper NBA autobiography, look into Kevin Garnett and DeMar DeRozan's books.
March 3, 2022
I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great story of life in the NBA back in the 80’s and 90’s. Some stories cleared up some misperceptions of basketball and the great athletes that played. Charles Oakley is one of my favorite ball players and his enthusiastic story telling was a lot of fun to read. His stories of friendships and enemies was awesome. So much has happened and It was reminded of a lot of the issues from that time.
This is a great book for anyone that loves basketball history.
This was a great story of life in the NBA back in the 80’s and 90’s. Some stories cleared up some misperceptions of basketball and the great athletes that played. Charles Oakley is one of my favorite ball players and his enthusiastic story telling was a lot of fun to read. His stories of friendships and enemies was awesome. So much has happened and It was reminded of a lot of the issues from that time.
This is a great book for anyone that loves basketball history.
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