"That man had family": DeMar DeRozan stands in solidarity with Jerry Krause's wife and family amid "Booing" saga
Former Chicago Bulls' manager Jerry Krause's wife was present in the United Center Arena during the Chicago Bulls' Ring of Honor ceremony. During halftime, once Krause's name was announced to honor him, fans started booing.
Krause was one of the key factors in assembling the legendary Chicago Bulls team. Witnessing her late husband being booed, Thelma Krause was seen in tears while a man behind her kept consoling her.
When Bulls star DeMar DeRozan was asked about the incident, he came in defense of Krause and said that his legacy should be appreciated and not disrespected by boos.
“I didn't know nothing about it … rest his soul … he played a major part in the success that the Bulls had," DeRozan said. "He created one of the greatest teams ever assembled, you got to give him credit. That man have family, friends that's still here that ought to be appreciated and shouldn't be disrespected in no type of way by hearing boos it anything like that."
"It just sucks that their family had to endure something like that. You can never take away what he created. Without Jerry there wouldn't be the historic Chicago Bulls history. You gotta give him credit for as long as basketball is around.”
Krause was the Chicago Bulls' general manager during their historic six NBA championship campaigns. He assisted the Bulls in putting players around Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who helped them win the championship.
MJ and Krause had their disagreements; however, it should not have gotten to a stage where his surviving wife and family had to face the boos and disrespect of his legacy.
Why did fans booed Jerry Krause's Ring of Honor ceremony?
When “The Last Dance” was released, it was Jerry Krause who was shown as the main culprit behind the breakup of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls had won two three-peats in less than a decade.
However, there were rumors that coach Phil Jackson would not be a coach after 1998, and the Bulls were going through rebuilding. Eventually, the trio of Bulls, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman—broke up. Pippen was moved to the Rockets, while Rodman was traded to the Lakers. MJ retired in 1999 before returning to play for Washington in 2001.
After the documentary, Krause had perhaps become the sole villain among the heroes of the legendary Chicago Bulls. Krause passed away in 2017 after battling multiple illnesses.
Jerry Krause was a pivotal part of the Bulls’ success and received NBA Executive of the Year in 1988 and 1996. He was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Interestingly, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were both absent from the Ring of Honor ceremony at the United Center.