Michael Jordan ‘Attacked’ Dan Majerle In ’93 NBA Finals Due To His Hatred Of Jerry Krause: ‘Just Because Krause Liked Him Was Enough For Me’

The Chicago Bulls faced the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. The series was sold as Michael Jordan vs. Charles Barkley, but Jordan had his eyes on someone else. 

That would be Suns forward Dan Majerle, who made the All-Defensive Second Team in 1992-93. 

Jordan knew that Bulls general manager Jerry Krause loved Majerle. And because Jordan basically hated Krause, MJ made it a point to attack Majerle during the 1993 NBA Finals. 

“I knew that Jerry Krause loved Dan Majerle,” Jordan said in Episode 6 of The Last Dance docuseries. “And just because Krause liked him was enough for me. You think he’s a great defensive player? Okay, fine. I’mma show you that he’s not. … I put it in my mindset that if I don’t do this, then they’re gonna consider him on the same level as me. And that motivated me to attack.”

During his iconic run with the Bulls, Jordan observed Krause do multiple things that irritated him. However, MJ stopped trusting Krause after what happened during his second NBA season.

Jordan was put on a strict time limit in 1985-86 after he broke his foot in the season’s third game. Krause and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf wanted their superstar shooting guard to sit out the season, but Jordan rehabbed his foot quickly and returned to the lineup on March 15, 1986. 

Krause told then-Bulls head coach Stan Albeck not to break Jordan’s time restriction if he wanted to keep his job. That put the coach in a tough spot, especially during an April 3 game against the Indiana Pacers.

Jordan had 26 points in 28 minutes, but he was pulled from the game on the Bulls’ final possession with the team down by one because of Krause’s time restriction.

An enraged Jordan sat on the bench and watched John Paxson hit a game-winning shot. While he was happy Chicago won, Jordan was frustrated because Krause violated a fundamental aspect of sports and how he conducted his life: MJ wanted to win every game and felt Krause wasn’t aligned with him.

After the Bulls defeated the Pacers, Krause tried to enter the locker room, but Albeck locked the door.

To no one’s surprise, Albeck was fired in the offseason and replaced by Doug Collins.

Jordan never forgot what Krause did on April 3, 1986. From that moment on, Jordan made it a point to embarrass Krause every chance he got.

The Bulls beat the Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. Jordan was named Finals MVP after averaging 41.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks.