The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor ceremony turned into one of the most controversial nights on the NBA calendar this season because of the fan reaction to booing the late former General Manager Jerry Krause. It was condemned by almost everybody in real time, even by the Bulls’ own announcers. But the voice of the NBA, Charles Barkley, finally weighed in on Monday during TNT’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day doubleheader. And he didn’t hold back.
“What those fans did to Mrs. Krause, that was not cool. Everybody involved owes that lady an apology, whether you liked Jerry Krause or not, that man’s dead. Rest in peace. His wife is there. And you all made that lady cry and that was total BS,” Barkley said.
Ernie Johnson clarified that Barkley’s comments wasn’t meant to lump in all Chicago sports fans (because criticism did launch debates of which region’s fanbases were better or worse than another), but it was something that needed to be said.
"It was a complete disgrace to the legacy of the Chicago Bulls… Whether you like Jerry Krause or not, that man's dead… His wife is there, and ya'll made that lady cry… That was total BS… That hurt my heart watching that thing." – Charles Barkleypic.twitter.com/Ra53zne3KC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 16, 2024
Barkley called out the fans, saying it was a disgrace to the legacy of the Bulls dynasty that won the city six championships in the 1990s. But while the fans who booed Krause and his widow Thelma, who was in attendance to accept the honor on his behalf, received the brunt of Barkley’s criticism, he also saved some words for the Bulls legends who didn’t show up – namely Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.
Barkley and Jordan haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye over the years, so it’s not a surprise to see Barkley call out Jordan for not appearing in the wake of the fiasco.
Whenever the Spurs honor Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker for their dynasty run, hopefully things don’t turn out this painful.
