Stacey King, 3-time NBA champion and broadcaster with Bulls, dies at 59 years old

Former NBA player Stacey King has died at the age of 59. The Chicago Bulls announced King’s passing on Sunday with a post on social media.

“We are devastated by the passing of 3x NBA Champion and beloved broadcaster Stacey King,” said the post from the Bulls.

King was the Bulls’ first-round pick in 1989 (No. 6 overall) out of Oklahoma, where he was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior. He played five seasons with Chicago and was part of three NBA championship teams from 1991-93.

Advertisement

The Bulls traded King to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Luc Longley in 1994 and he played there for two seasons. King also played for the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks in his eight NBA seasons.

Following his playing career, King coached in the CBA for the Rockford Lightning and Sioux Falls SkyForce.

He then went into broadcasting for CSN Chicago as an analyst for the Bulls’ pre- and post-game coverage. After working as a game analyst during the 2005-06 playoffs, King was added to the team’s regular-season broadcasts in 2007, beginning a career as an enthusiastic analyst whose calls drew acclaim throughout the league.

“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement.

“His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades,” he added. “First as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.”

King had several memorable calls and catch-phrases during his broadcasting career, including “Gimme the hot sauce!” when players like Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler hit game-winning shots for the Bulls.

Advertisement

“I like my meatballs spicy!” was another food-related call that attracted national attention when Marco Belinelli won a game against the Detroit PIstons in 2013.

“Stacey loved being a Bull. You could feel it in everything he did,” said Bulls team president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf.

“The way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans,” he continued. “He…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/stacey-king-3-time-nba-champion-and-broadcaster-with-bulls-dies-at-59-years-old-171841074.html

Author : Ian Casselberry

Publish date : 2026-06-07 17:18:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.