3. Charles Oakley
New York Knicks fans will forever love and adore rugged big man Charles Oakley. Oakley helped create the culture that played a definitive role in the Knicks of the 1990s becoming eternally praised and feared teams.
Kyle O’Quinn hasn’t displayed the type of defensive intensity that Oakley was known for, but he has the physical profile to do exactly that.
O’Quinn has the size, length, and strength to be one of the most physically imposing defensive players in the NBA. Merely standing in the paint with his arms up would be a deterrent, and throwing his body around would send a powerful message.
No one is better equipped to teach a young player how to be an enforcer than Oakley, who may be willing to help the players who did him no wrong.
Offensively, O’Quinn has a similar skill to Oakley: Vision and accuracy as a passer. Oakley may have been more prolific, but O’Quinn routinely turns heads with his crisp passes to players on the dive and those circling the perimeter as three-point shooters.
There aren’t many players who are capable of playing with the mean streak that Oakley displayed, but O’Quinn has a chance to be the Knicks’ enforcer—if he’s willing to do the dirty work.