Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls and later an Emmy-winning member of their broadcast team, has died at the age of 59, according to a statement released by the team on Sunday.
Bulls owner and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf described King as “a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history.” Reinsdorf said King’s connection to Chicago and the Bulls extended over three decades, first as a player and then as “the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans.”
Reinsdorf added, “We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion that he brought to our organization, our broadcasts, and our fans every day.”
Standing 6-foot-11, King played forward and center during his eight-season professional career. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds and also spent time with the Timberwolves, Heat, Celtics and Mavericks.
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King was the sixth overall pick in the 1989 draft out of Oklahoma and played all 82 games as a rookie, averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds off the bench. During that time, he played alongside Michael Jordan as the Bulls went on to win three consecutive championships from 1991 to 1993.
“Stacey loved being a Bull,” said team president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf in a statement. He said that love could be seen “in everything he did — the way he played, the way he called games, and the way he connected with our fans.”
Reinsdorf added that King “had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal,” and that “Stacey genuinely cared about people, and he made our organization better.”
The statement concluded, “We will miss him dearly, and his impact, memory and legacy will remain part of the Chicago Bulls forever.”
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King’s popularity extended to his work in broadcasting, where he spent more than two decades commentating on Bulls games. He became known to fans for his enthusiastic calls and creative nicknames that punctuated key moments on air.
In May, King discussed his approach to the job on his “Gimme the Hot Sauce” podcast, named after one of his trademark phrases during broadcasts. “We enjoy what we do,” he said. “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.”
Before entering the NBA, King starred at Oklahoma, helping the Sooners reach the national title game in the 1987-88 season, where they lost to Kansas and Danny Manning. The next year, he earned first-team All-America honors and was named Big Eight Player of the Year after averaging a conference-best 26.0 points and 2.3 blocks per game.
Following his playing career, King turned to coaching. He served as head coach of the Rockford Lightning of the Continental Basketball Association during the 2001-02 season.
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