The GOAT Teammate? Knicks Legend Answers LeBron vs Jordan

Former New York Knicks star Charles Oakley offered a unique take on the Michael Jordan-LeBron James debate.

Feb 23, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley, left, attends the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Oakley had his share of legendary teammates as a New York Knick, but a recent appearance on the Fadeaway Dunk podcast allowed him to play fantasy basketball.

Oakley offered an intriguing response when asked if he'd rather have Michael Jordan or LeBron James ... the headliners of basketball's perpetual "greatest of all-time" deate ... as a teammate. Despite citing a lasting friendship with Jordan, Oakley wound up siding with the current Los Angeles Lakers star.

"Who would I rather play with: LeBron or Mike?" Oakley said. "I say LeBron but Mike's my best friend. Mike ain't passing me the ball. He don't care if I get a shot today or tomorrow."

Oakley spoke positively about James' active status as a role model and "leader of men," as well as his lasting longevity: entering this season, his 22nd on an NBA floor, James ranks sixth with 1,492 games on his ledger.

"Anybody whose got a son, watch LeBron," Oakley said. "If you're open, he'll pass your son the ball. It ain't like some guys who'll look at you and then shoot it. They say LeBron ain't the guy who wants to take the big shot but it ain't about taking a big shot if somebody checking you. They always say Mike would take the shot, LeBron would pass the shot."

Oakley, of course, was a witness to several of those clutch Jordan shots as a member of the Knicks: Oakley's Knicks ran into Jordan's Chicago Bulls on five occasions in the playoffs and the Windy City prevailed on each occasion. Oakley and Co. took advantage of Jordan's first temporary retirement in 1994, besting the Bulls in a seven-game second round set en route to the NBA Finals.

James and the Lakers are set to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1.

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