Current:Home > MarketsChicago Bulls fans boo late GM Jerry Krause during team's Ring of Honor celebration -Mastery Money Tools
Chicago Bulls fans boo late GM Jerry Krause during team's Ring of Honor celebration
View
Date:2025-04-15 05:07:49
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."
veryGood! (3573)
Related
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Horoscopes Today, December 12, 2023
- 'This is completely serious': MoonPie launches ad campaign targeting extraterrestrials
- Fed expected to stand pat on interest rates but forecast just two cuts in 2024: Economists
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Snow closes schools and highways in northern China for the second time this week
- Missouri county to pay $1.2 million to settle lawsuit over inmate restraint chair death
- Turkish soccer league suspends all games after team boss Faruk Koca punches referee in the face
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- How rich is Harvard? It's bigger than the economies of 120 nations.
Ranking
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- Ambush kills 7 Israeli soldiers in Gaza City, where battles rage weeks into devastating offensive
- UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza
- A Chicago train operator knew snow equipment was on the line but braked immediately, review finds
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- Wall Street calls them 'the Magnificent 7': They're the reason why stocks are surging
- Sri Lanka will get the second tranche of a much-need bailout package from the IMF
- All 3 couples to leave 'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 9 announce breakups days after finale
Recommendation
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
North Carolina officer who repeatedly struck woman during arrest gets 40-hour suspension
Chargers QB Justin Herbert out for remainder of season with fractured index finger
Florida fines high school for allowing transgender student to play girls volleyball
The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
Amid outcry over Gaza tactics, videos of soldiers acting maliciously create new headache for Israel
How rich is Harvard? It's bigger than the economies of 120 nations.
Are Ye and Ty Dolla $ign releasing their 'Vultures' album? What to know amid controversy