The Chicago Bulls celebrated their inaugural Ring of Honor class during Friday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors. But one man who was honored drew the ire of the United Center crowd in an unfortunate scene: late general manager Jerry Krause.
Krause, who died in 2017 at the age of 77, was the longtime general manager of the Bulls, from 1985-2003. He built around Michael Jordan and turned the Bulls into six-time NBA champions. He collected two Executive of the Year awards (1988, 1996) along the way and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame shortly after his death. He also oversaw the dynasty’s undoing, as documented (without his perspective) in ‘The Last Dance.’
That fact, presumably, is what led to audible boos when he was honored during the halftime ceremony. His wife Thelma, who was representing him, appeared to be in tears over the poor reception.
‘What we witnessed today, when Jerry Krause’s name was called and the people that booed Jerry Krause and his widow, who was accepting this honor for him — it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,’ Bulls analyst Stacey King, a member of Chicago’s first three title teams, said on the broadcast.
‘I hurt for that lady. Brought her to tears. Whoever booed her in this arena should be ashamed of themselves,’ King continued. ‘That’s not Chicago. That’s New York. Philly. Chicago’s not like that. We don’t have a reputation of being that way. Whether you like Jerry Krause or not, that man brought six championships here. He didn’t shoot a basket, nor did he get a rebound, but he put six titles up (in the rafters). There’s a lot of teams don’t even have one (championship).
‘That was really classless. I was disappointed in the people that booed. It was a sad thing.’
King is right. Though the breakup of the Bulls dynasty may have been premature and Krause failed to build a winner again before he left in 2003, citing health problems, by pretty much any measure, he’s one of the great executives in league history. Only three other franchises have collected more rings than the Bulls’ six: The Warriors (7), Lakers (17) and Celtics (17).
Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, Artis Gilmore, Bob Love, Chet Walker, Jerry Sloan, Phil Jackson, Tex Winter, Dick Klein and Johnny ‘Red’ Kerr rounded out the inaugural Ring of Honor class. The 1995-96 Bulls were also honored. That team, which went 72-10 and won the NBA title, was, of course, built by Krause.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, a member of that 1995-96 team, said he did not hear the boos for Krause as he was back in the locker room with his team. But Kerr didn’t hold back, calling the booing fans’ actions ‘shameful.’
‘It’s absolutely shameful,’ Kerr said. ‘I cannot believe … I’m devastated for Thelma and for the Krause family. What can we possibly be thinking?
‘…I’m so disappointed in the fans — and I want to be specific, because I know there were lots of fans I’m sure who did not boo. But those who booed, they should be ashamed.’