Jerry Krause facts for kids

Jerry Krause (born April 6, 1939 – died March 21, 2017) was an American sports scout and executive. He was best known as the general manager for the Chicago Bulls basketball team. He worked for the Bulls from 1985 to 2003.

During his time with the Bulls, the team won six NBA championships. These wins happened between 1991 and 1998. The team was led by superstar player Michael Jordan. Krause won the NBA Executive of the Year Award twice, in 1988 and 1996. After he passed away, he was added to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Before joining the Bulls, he also worked as a scout for other teams, including the Chicago White Sox in baseball.

Early Career as a Scout

Jerry Krause was born in 1939 in Chicago. He grew up there and played high school baseball as a catcher. After college, he started working as a scout for the Baltimore Bullets basketball team.

Krause quickly became known for his ability to find talented players. Some people say he discovered future Hall of Famer Earl Monroe. While with the Bullets, he also wanted the team to draft Phil Jackson. Jackson later became a very successful coach.

Krause kept in touch with Phil Jackson for many years. Their friendship grew, and Jackson would later become the Bulls' coach. After working for the Bullets, Krause scouted for other NBA teams like the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

He also worked as a baseball scout in the 1970s and 80s. He helped the Chicago White Sox sign important players like Ozzie Guillén and Kenny Williams. These players later helped the White Sox win the World Series in 2005.

Jerry Krause and the Chicago Bulls

Krause became the Chicago Bulls General Manager before the 1985–86 NBA season. He took over from Rod Thorn.

Building the Coaching Staff

One of Krause's first big decisions was hiring his friend Tex Winter. Winter became an assistant coach. Krause wanted Winter to teach the Bulls players, especially Michael Jordan, the "Triangle Offense". This was a special way of playing basketball.

Krause even decided to change head coaches. He replaced Doug Collins with assistant coach Phil Jackson. This happened because Collins did not want Winter to teach the Triangle Offense as much as Krause wanted.

Building the First Championship Team (1991–1993)

When Krause became general manager, the Bulls already had Michael Jordan and John Paxson. These players were key to the team's future success. Krause made many changes to the team. He looked for new players through trades and drafts.

In the 1987 NBA draft, Krause made two very important moves. He drafted Horace Grant, a strong power forward. He also traded for Scottie Pippen, a talented small forward. Pippen and Grant, along with Jordan, became the main players for the Bulls' first three championships.

By 1988, the Bulls had their starting five players ready. These were Jordan, Paxson, Pippen, Grant, and Bill Cartwright. This team reached the Eastern Conference finals five times in a row and won three NBA championships from 1991 to 1993. Krause also added depth to the team by drafting players like B. J. Armstrong and signing Scott Williams.

Building the Second Championship Team (1996–1998)

After Michael Jordan retired for the first time in 1993, the Bulls team changed a lot. Krause worked to find new players. He signed Ron Harper, who became a very important player in the second "three-peat" (three championships in a row).

Krause also convinced Toni Kukoč to join the Bulls from Europe. Kukoč was a talented player Krause had been watching for a long time. In 1995, Krause made another big trade. He traded Will Perdue for Dennis Rodman. Rodman was known for his great rebounding and defense.

When Jordan returned to basketball in 1995, Krause had put together what many call one of the best teams in NBA history. The Bulls won an NBA record 72 games in the 1995–96 season. Krause was named Executive of the Year for the second time. The team continued to win, taking two more championships in 1997 and 1998.

Disagreements with Michael Jordan

Jerry Krause and Michael Jordan sometimes disagreed on player decisions. For example, in the 1986 NBA draft, Krause chose Brad Sellers. Jordan wanted the team to pick Johnny Dawkins. Even though Jordan pushed for Dawkins, Krause stuck with his choice. Sellers was traded after three seasons.

Another disagreement happened in 1988. Krause traded Charles Oakley, who was Jordan's good friend on the team, for Bill Cartwright. Jordan was upset about this trade, especially because he found out about it on TV. However, Cartwright proved to be a very important player. He helped the Bulls win their first three championships by playing strong defense against other teams' centers.

During the 1992 Olympics, Jordan and Pippen played very hard against Toni Kukoč. Some people felt they were playing against Kukoč as if they were playing against Krause himself. This was because Krause had been trying hard to bring Kukoč to the Bulls. Jordan later said that trading Oakley was good and that getting Pippen and Grant were Krause's best moves.

The 1997–98 Season and Phil Jackson

Krause and head coach Phil Jackson had been friends for many years. However, their relationship became difficult over time. By the 1997–98 season, the tension between them was very high.

Jackson's contract was only for that one season. Krause publicly stated that Jackson would not be rehired, even if the Bulls won the championship again. This caused an argument between them. Krause was often quoted saying, "Players and coaches don't win championships; organizations win championships." This statement upset Michael Jordan.

After the Bulls won their final championship with Jordan in 1998, the team decided to rebuild. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf offered Jackson the chance to return, but explained the team would be very different. Jackson chose not to coach a rebuilding team and left. Krause and Jackson later put their differences aside briefly when Tex Winter was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Rebuilding the Team

After the 1998 championship, Krause decided the Bulls needed to rebuild. Many of the veteran players were getting older. He focused on drafting new, young players.

He drafted players like Elton Brand, Ron Artest, and Jamal Crawford. In the 2001 draft, Krause made a big move. He traded Elton Brand for high school player Tyson Chandler. He also drafted another high school player, Eddy Curry. Krause hoped Chandler and Curry would become a strong team for the future.

Krause believed these young players would lead the Bulls to another successful era. The team showed some improvement, but Krause's vision for a new dynasty did not fully come true.

Later Years and Death

In 2003, Jerry Krause resigned as the Bulls' general manager. He said the job's stress had caused him some health problems. After he left, many of the young players he had acquired were traded or left the league. Some of them, like Elton Brand and Tyson Chandler, became All-Stars for other teams.

Krause returned to his scouting roots. He worked as a scout for the New York Yankees and New York Mets in baseball. In 2010, he rejoined the Chicago White Sox as a scout. He also worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jerry Krause passed away on March 21, 2017, at age 77. He had been dealing with health issues. Later that year, he was honored by being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Jerry Krause para niños