Published 13:01 IST, April 21st 2020
When Michael Jordan fired back at Jerry Krause for 'Organisations win championships' claim
The first two episodes of Michael Jordan's documentary shed light on his deteriorating relationship with then-Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause.
The first two episodes of Michael Jordan's documentary 'The Last Dance' premiered on Sunday and revolved mostly around the Bulls' 1997-98 season as it was largely branded as the last year of the legendary Bulls dynasty. As the documentary explores several aspects of Jordan's NBA career, the first two episodes also shed light on his deteriorating relationship with then-Bulls GM Jerry Krause. The man responsible for bringing together the squad that won two three-peats in a span of eight years is also being portrayed as the man behind the fall of the dynasty in the documentary.
The feud between Jerry Krause and Michael Jordan
The first two episodes saw Jerry Krause celebrating Phil Jackson's one-year contract extension with the Bulls but at the same time, Krause stated the 1997-98 season will be Jackson's last with the Bulls. While Jerry Krause was busy having a feud with Phil Jackson, Krause was apparently distancing himself from the Bulls roster and most importantly, with Michael Jordan.
The first couple of episodes portray Jerry Krause as the stereotypical villain who was ready to dismantle a championship-calibre squad because he was not given enough credit. Krause's misquoted statement 'Organisations win championships' was the highlight of the first two hours of The Last Dance.
Jerry Krause appeared in the documentary and appeared to take shots at Bulls and NBA superstar Michael Jordan with his statements. This revelation gives context to Jordan's speech at the 2009 Basketball Hall of Fame event when he stated that he did not know who invited Krause to the event.
With the feud that ended the dynasty now back in the fray, here's what Michael Jordan had to say about Jerry Krause in 2009. "Jerry Krause is not here. I don’t know who invited him. I didn’t.” Jordan further added Jerry Krause's statement saying 'Organisations win championships' did not make much sense as it was the players who went out there and performed even when they were injured or sick.
The relationship between Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause will be explored in the next few episodes of the documentary. The episodes will reportedly showcase how Jordan and Krause reached a point of no return in their working relationship.
Jerry Krause net worth, Jerry Krause cause of death
Jerry Krause left the role of GM of the Bulls in 2003 citing health concerns. Krause continued working as a scout in MLB before passing away in 2017. In his later years, Krause suffered from several health conditions including obesity and Osteomyelitis. The Jerry Krause net worth remained unknown at the time of his death.
Updated 13:01 IST, April 21st 2020