The Last Dance

[K]

‘He was vilified to an extent’: Longley speaks up for Krause, recalls Bulls years in new documentary

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/basketball/he-was-vilified-to-an-extent-longley-speaks-up-for-krause-recalls-bulls-years-in-new-documentary-20230731-p5dsr2.html

'Over four parts, Luc Longley: Foundations provides a perspective that was sorely missing from The Last Dance; the documentary series that became a world phenomenon in 2020, but failed to feature Longley, an omission Jordan later apologised for.
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Krause was the man who recruited, drafted and traded for the majority of Chicago teams that won three NBA titles in the early 1990s and three more during Longley’s years in the late 1990s.

In The Last Dance, Jordan, Pippen and coach Phil Jackson – who all feuded with Krause during their years at the Bulls – blamed him for the team breaking up after their last title in the 1997-98 season.

“Here is what I will say – I think Jerry did an amazing job of putting that group together and keeping that group together, and he has been vilified to a certain extent, and I don’t support that,” Longley said.

“He always did, what I thought, was the right thing by me and by most people. I understand everyone’s circumstances are different.

“I think what would have ruined the Bulls is to limp through the next season with a carcass of who we were and not play beautiful basketball.

“For me, to end on such a crescendo [was ideal]. No, I don’t think Jerry Krause ruined the Bulls, I think the timing was perfect.”'