During the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor ceremony on January 13, Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause found themselves in the spotlight due to the controversy surrounding the event. When the late Krause’s name was mentioned when the winner was announced, fans expressed their displeasure by booing, causing his widow to burst into tears.
Once the incident hit the headlines, the history surrounding Jordan and Krause was explored. As a result, some words from David Halberstam’s book “Playing for Eternity: Michael Jordan and the World He Created” published in February 2000 were revealed.
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In the excerpt, Halberstam said Krause called Jordan “property”:
“In his conversation with Jordan, he declined Jordan’s request to play and stated that he and Jerry Reinsdorf would make the decision because Jordan was their property.
“This is an extremely stupid thing for any player to do, especially a black player, and it is something Michael Jordan will never forget and will never forgive.”
The same comments were posted on Reddit, and fans have come forward to express their opinions on Jordan and Krause’s feud. Some fans believe Jerry Krause deserves all the boos he gets during Ring of Honor festivities.
“MF deserves all the boos he gets from beyond the grave.”
However, the article also got some interesting comments saying Krause was not a saint but a great athletic director. In response, one fan also wanted to consider that Krause ultimately had a bad relationship with Jordan and Phil Jackson.
Jerry Kraus opens up about his relationship with Michael Jordan in unreleased memoir
In an unpublished memoir by NBC Sports’ KC Johnson, former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause reflects on his complicated relationship with Michael Jordan. Despite the off-field issues, Krause believes they are mutually beneficial to each other’s careers.
Memoirs shared by Jerry Krause’s family highlight their shared pursuit of success and competitive spirit. Krause, who died in 2017, played a key role in the Chicago Bulls’ success but was criticized for his tense relationship with Michael Jordan in the documentary “The Last Dance.”
This excerpt talks about their stubborn, strong-willed nature and the influence they had on each other:
“Personally, despite the problems we had off the pitch, he performed well on the pitch, which is important. He wants to win as much as I do and we are both driven by winning over and over again, looking for any advantage to come Win.” Keep it up.
“Even though he said ‘my supporting cast’ early in his career, he knew deep down that no one was good enough to win in this game without a winning team.”
Krause’s impact on the dissolution of the 1998 championship team and his handling of Michael Jordan’s early foot injury were also discussed. While acknowledging their rocky relationship, Jerry Kraus highlighted the team’s success.
“Are we good for each other? I think we are a great match. We are both stubborn, strong-willed competitors who are proud of our abilities and want to carve out a place for ourselves in the hierarchy of the game.”
The memoir aims to provide Krause’s perspective on the events, countering some of Jordan’s recollections in “The Last Dance.” Despite their success, the memoir highlights the enduring tension between Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause throughout their careers.