At the recent Ring of Honor ceremony hosted by the Chicago Bulls, the late Jerry Krause’s mention was met with boos from the crowd at the United Center, a reaction that deeply upset his widow, Thelma Krause. Many in the NBA community were disgusted by the situation.
Understandably, Thelma was devastated by the disrespectful reception her husband received. This incident drew criticism from notable NBA figures, including Detroit Pistons icon Isiah Thomas.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Thomas expressed his dismay at the Bulls fans’ behavior who participated in the booing at United Center.
“I thought it was one of the most horrific things that I’ve ever seen at a ceremony,” Thomas said. “It hurt me so much to my heart because I know how Jerry Krause was to me and my family and how he treated us. I called Mrs. Krause. I got her number and called her up. I told her the rest of the NBA doesn’t feel the same way about your husband as those fans who booed in the arena.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons, Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Updates
Another former NBA star, Charles Barkley, condemned the Bulls fans, calling their behavior “disgraceful” during “Inside the NBA” on TNT. While expressing his love for Chicago, Barkley criticized the event’s overall atmosphere.
“I want to be very careful here because Chicago, I love that city, but what happened in Chicago the other night was a disgrace,” Barkley said. “It was a flat-out disgrace. Having his wife cry like that. That was wrong on so many levels. Michael (Jordan) Scottie (Pippen), and Dennis (Rodman) not showing up — that was wrong. It was a complete disgrace to the legacy of the Chicago Bulls.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons, Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Updates
This incident has highlighted a clear divide in perceptions of Krause’s legacy between the Chicago fanbase and the broader NBA community, with the latter showing more respect for his contributions.
