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Chris Spatola, a former college basketball coach, ESPN analyst, and public speaker, died unexpectedly. He was 47. ESPN announced Spatola’s death on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
“There are no words to adequately express our heartbreak over the loss of our beloved Chris Spatola,” the Krzyzewski Family said in a statement (relayed by Jason Evans of the Duke Basketball Roundup). “Chris served our country, was a devoted husband and father, and was such an important part of our family. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, thoughts, and prayers we have received during this incredibly difficult time. We respectfully ask for privacy as our entire family, particularly Jamie and her three beautiful children, grieve and process this unimaginable loss.”
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According to his website, Spatola graduated in 2002 from West Point, where he was a four-year starter on the basketball team. He became an officer in the United States Army, served as a Company Commander, and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for exceptional combat performance during a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spatola was hired by Mike Krzyzewski and was a member of the Duke men’s basketball coaching staff from 2007-2012. He married Krzyzewski’s daughter, Jamie, with whom he had three children.
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More to come on this story.
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/espn-analyst-coach-k-son-012125163.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-23 01:21:00
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