A few days back, the Chicago Bulls fans showered disrespect on Jerry Krause during the Ring of Honor ceremony. Following the unprecedented NBA incident, Gilbert Arenas openly defended the Bulls’ former general manager on his show, Gil’s Arena. In the process, the 3x All-Star even insulted Michael Jordan for his GM skills with the Charlotte Hornets over the years.
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The recent ceremony in the United Center resulted in misery while the franchise attempted to honour the members of the 1995/96 season’s 72-10 team. The home crowd booed Krause as soon as the late executive image appeared on the big screen. Witnessing the disdain, his widow, Thelma, broke down in tears as the auspicious occasion turned into a disheartening one.
Following the unfortunate event, Arenas shed light on the reasons behind Krause’s damaged public image highlighting Jordan’s presence as a major one. “You had two titans, Jordan and Krause, that were battling and Jordan was the individual, Krause was the team person. Everything Jordan wanted to do, he went opposite,” the 42-year-old stated.
Arenas then played down MJ’s decision-making for the Bulls by putting his failures with the Hornets as an owner into focus. “Looking at how Jordan was picking players in Charlotte, Krause is smart,” he mentioned. The 6ft 4″ icon showcased further admiration for the 2x Executive of the Year, mentioning, “He [Krause] should be praised for what he was doing because every pick he made, panned out”.
It captured the impact of the Chicago-born on his hometown NBA franchise as he helped them evolve rapidly since the late 1980s. Despite the differences between him and the core members of the team, his eye for talent remained undeniable. So, Krause often used to push forward with his beliefs while running the risk of offending the leading figures in the dressing room. Eventually, his moves had an overall positive impact on the organization as they helped them win six championships.
Not only Gilbert Arenas but also the former Bulls players acknowledged his contribution
Soon after the supporters booed Krause, Stacey King stood up for the franchise’s former executive and his family. Criticizing the fans for their antics, the announcer declared, “It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life”. The former Bulls forward added, “Whoever booed her in this arena should be ashamed of themselves. That’s not Chicago, that’s New York”.
Alongside him, Steve Kerr, a member of the iconic 1997 team defended Krause too. “It’s shameful. It’s absolutely shameful. I can not believe it. I am devastated for Thelma and the Krause family. What can we possibly be thinking?” the Golden State Warriors head coach mentioned after the incident.
These words put into focus the importance of respect within competitive sports. Despite differences in opinions, the former NBA players expected the fans to keep their emotions aside for the ceremony. Unfortunately, things did not go in the direction they would have hoped as the instance tarnished the public image of the Bulls. On top of that, it put the NBA in the limelight as the reality ruined the expectations.
