Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion and beloved TV broadcaster with the Chicago Bulls, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 59.
No cause of death has been disclosed.
“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades — first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.
“We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
Born Jan. 29, 1967, the Lawton, Okla., native became a star playing at Oklahoma from 1985-1989, leading the Sooners to the national championship game in 1988 and back into the Sweet 16 the following year.
King ranks sixth in Oklahoma history with 2,008 career points and eighth with 825 career rebounds.
“We are heartbroken over the passing of Stacey King, a true Oklahoma legend,” current Sooners coach Porter Moser said in a statement. “Stacey was one of the most accomplished and likeable players in OU men’s basketball history, and he meant so much to our program because of his passion for the sport and the university.
“His smile, energy and spirit were his hallmarks, not to mention his silky-smooth left-handed stroke. … Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, and we will thoughtfully honor him throughout our upcoming season.”
Selected by the Bulls at No. 6 overall in the 1989 draft, King became mainly a backup on a team that starred Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and won three consecutive championships from 1991-1993.
During King’s rookie season, Jordan scored a career-high 69 points during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28, 1990.
King, who scored one point during the game, quipped afterward, “I’ll always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points.”
In four-plus seasons with the Bulls, King averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Stacey King,” Pippen wrote on X. “A champion, a great teammate, and a true ambassador for the game. His impact on the Bulls organization and the city of Chicago will be remembered for generations. Rest in peace, King.”
King rounded out his eight-year career with stints in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas, then spent some time as a coach in the Continental Basketball Assn. and the NBA’s G-League. He started appearing on Bulls broadcasts in 2006 and became the full-time color commentator in 2008, which also happened to coincide with the start of the Derrick Rose era in Chicago.
“Stacey loved being a Bull,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “You could feel it in everything he did — the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans. He had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal. He brought an energy and love for the game that came through in every broadcast, helping fans feel connected to our team.”
Chicago Sports Network president and CEO Michael McCarthy said: “Stacey had a unique ability to connect generations of Bulls fans. Whether through his basketball insight, his humor, or his unforgettable calls, he made every game more enjoyable and every broadcast better.”
A fan favorite for his witty wording and player nicknames, King turned his most famous catchphrase, “Gimme the Hotsauce,” into the name of his podcast.
“We enjoy what we do,” King said of his broadcasting gig on a podcast episode last month. “It’s a fun job. It never seems like work for me. Every night, I go to work, win, lose or draw, I’m having fun.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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