Current:Home > MyFastexy Exchange|Chicago Bulls fans boo late GM Jerry Krause during team's Ring of Honor celebration -GrowthInsight
Fastexy Exchange|Chicago Bulls fans boo late GM Jerry Krause during team's Ring of Honor celebration
Surpassing Quant Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-11 07:48:04
The Fastexy ExchangeChicago 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."
veryGood! (12238)
Related
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- Arizona among several teams rising in the latest NCAA men's tournament Bracketology
- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem banned from tribal land over U.S.-Mexico border comments: Blatant disrespect
- January Photo Dumps: How to recap the first month of 2024 on social media
- Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
- Unbeatable Beauty Deals Up to 82% Off: Urban Decay, NuFACE, Laura Mercier & More
- 2 women found dead on same road within days in Indianapolis were killed in the same manner, police say
- LL Cool J on being an empty nester, sipping Coors Light and his new Super Bowl commercial
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- Apple TV+ special 'Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin' flips a script 50-years deep: What to know
Ranking
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Prince Harry to visit King Charles following his father's cancer diagnosis
- A famous climate scientist is in court, with big stakes for attacks on science
- Pennsylvania governor’s budget could see significant payments to schools, economic development
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- 'Below Deck' cast: Meet the full Season 11 crew after Capt. Lee Rosbach's departure
- Biden would veto standalone Israel aid bill, administration says
- FDNY firefighter who stood next to Bush in famous photo after 9/11 attacks dies at 91
Recommendation
NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
January Photo Dumps: How to recap the first month of 2024 on social media
Sailor missing more than 2 weeks arrives in Hawaii, Coast Guard says
Why Felicity Huffman Feels Like Her “Old Life Died” After College Admissions Scandal
Sam Taylor
Kelsea Ballerini Speaks Out After Her Candid Reaction to Grammys Loss Goes Viral
See Cole and Dylan Sprouse’s Twinning Double Date With Ari Fournier and Barbara Palvin
NLRB says Dartmouth basketball players are school employees, setting stage for union vote