Phil Jackson and former Bulls GM Jerry Krause are not exactly the best of friends. Their feud helped break up the Bulls dynasty. The two did not speak for more than a decade and it took Tex Winter going into the Hall of Fame — and him wanting those two to kiss and make up… or at least make up — that prompted them to even shake hands.
So it is no small thing that Jackson thinks Krause belongs in the Hall of Fame.
Jackson said as much recently, reports CSNChicago.com.
“I think it will happen,” Jackson said in a radio interview on WMVP-AM 1000. “The Hall of Fame is a strange institution. Because it’s about fame almost more than anything else.
“Jerry has made a name for himself in basketball, and it will probably be there for a long time. He was executive of the year and so forth. But the Hall is more interested in players coming in rather than executives or -- matter of fact I think coaches and players probably first and then perhaps executives. So getting around to executives coming in the Hall of Fame I think will take a bit and take a concerted effort.”
Krause did not draft Michael Jordan but he did put the team around him that won rings. It was Krause that made a draft-night trade for Pippen, brought in guys like Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman, and even put Jackson in the coaching chair. He deserves credit for those six banners at the United Center.
As we have discussed before, he will be in the Hall of Fame. Eventually. It’s just a little hard to predict when with that entity.