Publishers Weekly
11/22/2021
Former NBA All-Star Oakley debuts with a memorable if dewy-eyed account of his run in what he calls “the golden era of physical play” in the league. Anchored with a foreword by Michael Jordan—who refers to the author as his “bodyguard” during their time as teammates on the Chicago Bulls—Oakley’s book skims over his youth and early love of the game to instead regale readers with tales from his playing days in the 1980s and ’90s and his decade-long tenure with the Knicks, replete with cameos by the likes of Donald Trump. He also weighs in on a considerable amount of gossip, opening the book with the claim “I did not punch Charles Barkley”; providing his own commentary on the infamous feud between Michael Jordan and the Pistons’ Isiah Thomas (“Thomas was jealous of Michael”); and with an almost laser-focused memory, recounting outrageous moments such as when Dennis Rodman (who he was “never friends” with) walked around a steakhouse he co-owned “eating food off customers’ plates.” Entertaining as it is, it can sometimes feels like a romanticized account of a bygone era full of grievances (“Jonathan Supranowitz is a straight bitch”) that, nearly two decades on, clearly continue to incense him. Still, this remains an entertaining stroll down memory lane. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
No player embodied the swaggering ethos of the ’90s Knicks more than Oakley ... Some athletes melt under Broadway’s stage lights; Oakley thrived. His gritty play befitted the city’s ‘if I can make it there’ self-image ... A childhood friend calls Oakley ‘arrogantly honest,’ a description he embraces, and that captures the appeal of his new memoir.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES
“They don’t make ‘em like Charles Oakley no more. When the NBA was full of these tough guys, one guy was tougher than the rest. In The Last Enforcer, Oak gives us insight into how it all went down when the game was won and lost in the paint, before flagrant fouls and three-pointers softened up the NBA. You had to be there, and he was right in the center of it, like an oak tree in the middle of a raging flood.”
—ICE CUBE, award-winning rapper, actor, and filmmaker
“This is the book we’ve been waiting on: Oak with Isola, delivering the goods on the golden age of NBA tough guys and blood feuds. An incredible read on some incredible days and nights in the old association.”
—ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI, ESPN Senior NBA Insider and New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Miracle of St. Anthony
“Mr. Charles Oakley is one of my guys from those great New York Knickerbockers of Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Larry Johnson, and Allan Houston. After all these years, Oak and I are still close friends. When you have Charles for a friend you have a loyal friend for life. The interesting thing is, he has a reputation as The Enforcer, but his book shows that Charles is funny AF – the humor is on point. On top of that, he’s a gourmet chef. You can never go wrong with laughter and food.”
—SPIKE LEE, Oscar-winning director and writer
“In The Last Enforcer, Charles Oakley, as fierce a competitor as ever stepped onto the hallowed floor in Madison Square Garden, tells the story of his career and life as he played: unflinchingly tough, honest, and ultimately endearing. An old-school warrior serves up a sizzling tale of life inside the paint in an era when that was where the game was won or lost. I couldn’t put it down.”
—HARVEY ARATON, New York Times bestselling author of Driving Mr. Yogi, and When the Garden Was Eden
“Basketball fans will enjoy Oakley’s stories about the game’s biggest stars and his opinions about them. . . The book is packed with Oakley’s plainspoken disdain for former players, most notably Charles Barkley, who gets a whole chapter: ‘Barkley and his Big Mouth.’ Among the other players and coaches on the receiving end of Oakley’s unforgiving eye include Lamar Odom, Dennis Rodman, Lenny Wilkins, and Tyrone Hill . . . Many of Oakley’s entertaining stories go beyond basketball; the strongest sections involve amusing run-ins with a wide range of celebrities, from Judge Mathis to Spike Lee. Oakley also has a serious side, on display when he discusses his friendship with George Floyd.”
—KIRKUS
“Oakley’s unapologetic, uninhibited autobiography, written with journalist [Frank] Isola, matches his dominant presence on the court . . . Of particular interest are his thoughts and experiences as a Black athlete, including his connection with police brutality victim George Floyd. Fondly remembered for his loyalty to teammates and his innovative defensive presence, Oakley’s stories bring back an era when basketball personalities and feuds were over the top and games were front-page news.”
—LIBRARY JOURNAL
“An entertaining stroll down memory lane ... Anchored with a foreword by Michael Jordan—who refers to the author as his ‘bodyguard’ during their time as teammates on the Chicago Bulls—Oakley’s book skims over his youth and early love of the game to instead regale readers with tales from his playing days in the 1980s and ’90s and his decade-long tenure with the Knicks, replete with cameos by the likes of Donald Trump. He also weighs in on a considerable amount of gossip, opening the book with the claim ‘I did not punch Charles Barkley.’”
—PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY
Library Journal
12/01/2021
Basketball fans will remember Oakley (b. 1963) as a rough-and-tumble defensive force for nearly 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association. Oakley's unapologetic, uninhibited autobiography, written with journalist Isola (ESPN, SiriusXM), matches his dominant presence on the court. His career coincided with the NBA's movement into mainstream entertainment, the mid-1980s into the 1990s and beyond. Oakley never holds back in describing his early life and college career, playing for the Chicago Bulls alongside Michael Jordan, his triumphs and disappointments with the New York Knicks, and his relationships with numerous superstars of his era. Of particular interest are his thoughts and experiences as a Black athlete, including his connection with police brutality victim George Floyd. Fondly remembered for his loyalty to teammates and his innovative defensive presence, Oakley's stories bring back an era when basketball personalities and feuds were over the top and games were front-page news. VERDICT With his uncanny knack for being present at many milestone NBA events throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, Oakley has a familiar name and career that'll make this an attractive choice for sports fans and hoops aficionados. Recommended for public library collections with active sports collections.—Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT
Kirkus Reviews
2021-11-30
The hard-nosed former professional basketball star shares his bold outlook on life as well as wild tales on and off the court.
Oakley, who plied his trade in the NBA from 1985 to 2004, wants readers to remember three things: He’s loyal, he’s honest, and if you wrong him, he will never forget. Also, he’s good friends with his former teammate Michael Jordan. Still close today, they have always bonded over their no-nonsense attitudes and approaches toward the game. The same cannot be said for Oakley’s relationships with many other players of the era. The book is packed with Oakley’s plainspoken disdain for former players, most notably Charles Barkley, who gets a whole chapter: “Barkley and his Big Mouth.” Among the other players and coaches on the receiving end of Oakley’s unforgiving eye include Lamar Odom, Dennis Rodman, Lenny Wilkins, and Tyrone Hill. LeBron James is one of the few exceptions, a genuine star whom Oakley befriended when James was just 17. Whether the author is recounting how he tricked an opposing player into drinking too much the night before a playoff game or bemoaning the lack of physicality in today’s NBA, he walks readers through his career with unvarnished honesty. Many of Oakley’s entertaining stories go beyond basketball; the strongest sections involve amusing run-ins with a wide range of celebrities, from Judge Mathis to Spike Lee. Oakley also has a serious side, on display when he discusses his friendship with George Floyd. “As a Black man in the United States I, too, have experienced police brutality and harassment before, but never to this extreme,” he writes. “To watch the video and hear George desperately calling out to his mother for help was horrific.” Throughout, Oakley emphasizes his role as a staunch defender of his teammates and doing what he thinks is right, never passing up the opportunity to vilify those who don’t live up to his code.
Basketball fans will enjoy Oakley’s stories about the game’s biggest stars and his opinions about them.
