National Basketball Association

Chicago Bulls Owner Jerry Reinsdorf Enters Basketball Hall of Fame

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Shaq, Yao Ming and Allen Iverson were all inducted into basketball’s elite of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Alongside them was Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

In the Basketball Hall Of Fame ceremony, all eyes were on Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming, which makes it understandable why many Bulls fans may not have realized that the franchise’s beloved owner — Jerry Reinsdorf — was inducted into the most prestigious basketball group.

Well, okay.

He may not be beloved, but he sure is successful.

Whether you love or hate Reinsdorf’s approach to ownership, it’s hard to find another owner with his credentials. With six NBA championships and owning “the most successful team in the Eastern Conference over the last 10 years” which GarPax never fail to let us know, Jerry Reinsdorf certainly has earned himself a spot in the Basketball Hall Of Fame.

On stage with Reinsdorf was Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson; two products of the Bulls’ dominance in the 1990’s. In Reinsdorf’s speech, he spoke on growing up in Brooklyn and going to Madison Square Garden any chance he got.

“I really got hooked on the Knicks and the NBA in 1949 when I entered Erasmus high school in Brooklyn, because one of the benefits of being a high school student in New York was that your student ID card got you into Madison Square Garden for 50 cents. I was there any time I could cobble together 50 cents plus the 10 cents for carpool.”

Reinsdorf proceeded by joking about growing up in New York as a Jew.

“1949 was also the year of my Bar Mitzvah. A Bar Mitzvah is the time in his life when a Jewish boy realizes he has a better chance of owning a team than playing for one.”

Notable mentions throughout the speech was Doug Collins, the former Bulls coach who Reinsdorf praised by saying that “he was able to change the culture of the team to get the players to believe they could win.” Reinsdorf added that Collins felt no grudge after being fired and replaced with Phil Jackson labelling Collins a “brilliant basketball mind.”

Another notable mention was former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause. Reinsdorf talked in depth about his relationship with Krause and said, “I would not be standing here tonight if it wasn’t for Jerry Krause.”

Lastly, the man who delivered him six tiles and carried the hopes of Chicago on his back was discussed. Michael Jordan was not mentioned frequently throughout the speech, but Reinsdorf did say this towards the closing stages.

“When Michael Jordan became a team owner (with Charlotte), he said to me, ‘I owe you a lot of apologies. It’s a lot harder to run a team than I thought.”

Reinsdorf finished by saying “I know I’m in the fourth quarter (of my life), but I’m hoping for triple overtime.”