Knicks legend comments on whether Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown could've played in the 90s

During an appearance on Scoop B Radio with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, New York Knicks legend Charles Oakley was wishy washy on whether or not Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could've handled the physicality of the 1990s.

"I think it would be a little bit more difficult for whatever they do things on the court," Oakley prefaced before saying, "Or it might be more easier. We don’t know that and sometimes you want to judge stuff and try to place things out and why they work. The only thing that would probably work in this era would be the difference between our era in the 80’s and 90’s and the 2020’s era now. I don’t think that they could take the way that we were so physical back then, but some are physical enough with the mindset to play now."

Tatum and Brown are two of the more physical wings in the league, being able to get to the rim against mostly any opposing big and using their bodies to create open shots in the in-between game as well.

Would that translate in an era where refs swallowed their whistles more and allowed defenders to get hits in on offensive players?

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the class of the modern NBA and would've dominated in the 90s

The entire NBA is building rosters to contend with Tatum and Brown right now. It goes without saying that the Cs are the class of the league and are head and shoulders above the other 29 teams, because of the Jays.

Put them in the 1990s and the results are the same. In fact, the way the Celtics shoot three-pointers, it's possible the current Boston roster would toy with 1990s defenses that primarily defended from 10-15 feet from the rim.

Oakley sounded like he wanted to go down the classic 90s rabbit hole and claim that players today couldn't have dominated back then but he quickly realized how foolish that would sound given how much the Jays do on the court.

Good on Oakley for recognizing the truth. He did his best not to acknowledge it, but true hoopers know deep down they have to.