Jerry Krause liked downplaying Michael Jordan's game by comparing him to two NBA legends - "You might be as good as both of them someday"

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Due to his ego, the late former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause found it difficult to admit just how exceptional Michael Jordan was. Despite MJ’s undeniable talents and numerous accolades, Krause seemed hesitant to give him the full recognition he deserved.

The several occasions in which Krause slighted Jordan were chronicled in Roland Lazenby’s 2014 Jordan memoir, “Michael Jordan: The Life.” One of those was when Krause downplayed MJ’s exceptional skills by handing him a backhanded compliment.

Jerry would say there was nothing special about Jordan as he was no less or more than a remnant of Earl Monroe and Elgin Baylor. As expected, it often irked the Bulls superstar.

“You’re [Jordan] a combination of Earl Monroe and Elgin Baylor, and you might be as good as both of them someday,” Krause used to tell Jordan. “Earl did it on the ground. You’re doing it in the air. Elgin was the first one to do it in the air. You remind me of him.”

Krause had a cause not to adulate Mike

During his time as the Bulls GM, Jerry had always been vocal about why he wasn’t enamored by Jordan. To lift the lid on the intriguing matter, Krause once said he had a challenging role that went beyond just admiring “His Airness” and his greatness.

Krause pointed out that his main focus was to make tough decisions that would benefit the team and not just satisfy the desires of one superstar. For him, there was a reason why he was a GM and Jordan was a player.

“This kid [Jordan] has had his butt kissed by everybody in the world except his parents and me. If we listened to him, we’d have [former Tar Heel guard] Buzz Peterson on the team! My goal is not to be his friend. My goal is to win titles,” Krause once said.

“I’m the only one who has told him no,” he added. “When he had the broken foot back in 1985, I told him he couldn’t play. If we had let him run rampant, we wouldn’t have the two championships.”

Jerry and MJ didn’t see eye-to-eye

Despite Jordan’s unmatched repertoire on the court and ability to lead the Bulls to multiple championships, Krause’s failure to genuinely praise him left many puzzled. Some speculated that Krause’s insecurities may have influenced his reluctance to embrace MJ’s greatness fully.

Whatever the reason may have been, Krause’s unwillingness to acknowledge Jordan as the Bulls dynasty’s torchbearer remains a source of intrigue and discussion among hoops fans. In conclusion, the seemingly bad blood between Krause and Jordan did not hinder the Bulls from winning.