Phil Jackson said Thursday he believes Jerry Krause will make it to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, but it may take a while, as it did with recent inductee Tex Winter. Krause was the general manager during the Chicago Bulls six championship seasons in the 1990s. He gave Jackson his first NBA head coaching job and built supporting casts around Jordan and Pippen, who were the only two players on all six championship teams. Odds

The contentious relationship that Krause had with some executives in the NBA and star Michael Jordan may resonate in the minds of some Hall of Fame judges. Jordan was often at odds with Krause and management about recruiting star talent before acquiring Scottie Pippen. Scores

Jordan and Bulls fans were often frustrated for many years that Michael never got the help he deserved. Well we know that promise was fulfilled but some fans believe that Krause was the man that allowed Jordan to retire for the second time and resurface with the Washington Wizards. For many Jordan should have retired playing for the Bulls and not Washington.

Jackson also had his bout with Krause and the owner over his contract. Jordan came to his defense and threatened that if Phil was not resigned that Jordan would look to go elsewhere. But championships have a tendency to make people forget the difficult struggles.

Jackson believes that Jerry will have his day in the Hall. “I think it will happen,” Jackson said when asked if Krause will make the Hall. “The Hall of Fame is a strange institution. Because it’s about fame almost more than anything else. And one of the things about Tex is they didn’t feel he was a head coach, so he didn’t have that quote-unquote fame attached to who he was. But Tex has a tremendous amount of appeal and a following behind him. “And Jerry has made a name for himself in basketball, and it will probably be there for a long time. He was executive of the year and so forth. But the Hall is more interested in players coming in rather than executives or — matter of fact I think coaches and players probably first and then perhaps executives. So getting around to executives coming in the Hall of Fame I think will take a bit and take a concerted effort.”

Jackson and Krause crossed paths at the August induction ceremony, which included Winter and Dennis Rodman. Winter had expressed to Krause that he wanted he and Jackson — who enjoyed a sometimes contentious relationship — to shake hands during the festivities. “For Tex, I would jump off a building,” Krause is quoted saying. “I’ve seen Phil walking down the opposite side of the hallway, and I’ve kept right on going past him. I’ve never stopped. But for Tex, yeah … I’ll do it.” Jackson said the two did shake hands. “One of the nice things was that Jerry Krause was in the same row I was in at the Hall of Fame and we were able to shake hands,” Jackson said. “I was able to see his wife Thelma and greet her, too, and kind of debunk that myth that there’s some kind of animosity that’s gone between us. There really isn’t. Jerry does hold some things, and always has, some things that he feels are differences of opinions for himself. But I’ve always felt grateful to him for establishing my career and helping me get to that point. So that was nice”.