Does Michael Jordan Have Any Friends Left?

Despite what he'll tell you, Jordan wouldn't have won a single title without help. Yet Jerry Krause, the man who assembled that collection of second bananae, won't be there as MJ enters the Hall of Fame. Why not?

Let's not forget it was Krause who selected Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant in the '87 draft, when Jordan wanted Joe Wolf ( career stats here, in case you need a laugh). So you'd expect Krause to be high on the guest list for Saturday's ceremonies. That's not the case.

I don't have a great desire to be there," Krause said.

He'll tell you it's nothing to do with Jordan, that he's protesting the HOF as long as longtime assistant coach Tex Winter isn't in. But it's not hard to read more into his words, especially when he says how he'd drop his protest in a second for Jerry Sloan.

If Michael called, no," Krause said. "If Jerry called me, that would be a tough one. But the answer is no...We were not close, and we're not close today.

We've learned in the last decade that MJ might not have been the most likable person, but to go so far as to estrange the man to whom you owe part of your legend (and vice versa, of course) is saying something.

Sorting Fact From Friction [Boston Globe]