Knicks legend says he 'would have smacked' 76ers' Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is getting an earful from Uncle Oak.

Retired New York Knicks great Charles Oakley spoke with Barbara Barker of Newsday this week, expressing his displeasure with Embiid’s antics during the 76ers-Knicks playoff series. He called for New York to put Embiid in place.

“They’ve got to do something about it,” said Oakley. “I wouldn’t be shaking their hands before the game when they play, friends or no friends. I wouldn’t shake Embiid’s hand or anyone’s hand. We are on a mission.

“I probably would have smacked him,” Oakley added of Embiid. “You can’t let him send that kind of message. If he had done something like that [when I played], he would not have gotten away with it. David Robinson, when he played, he knew what he could get away with. They [bullies] pick a fight they think they are going to win.”

During the series, Embiid has been under fire several times, with Knicks fans labeling him a dirty player. In fact, most of those moments occurred in Game 3.

The problem may be that the Knicks lack a true enforcer like Oakley. During his playing career, Oakley got physical with everyone from Xavier McDaniel to Charles Barkley. He would like to see some of that from the current Knicks for the remainder of the series against Embiid and his 76ers.