CHICAGO — Former Chicago Bulls player and broadcaster Stacey King died at the age of 59. The Chicago Bulls announced King's death on Sunday after a family member notified them.
King was a 6-foot-11 forward and center who played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma. The Bulls selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. He played five seasons with the Bulls, averaging 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
During his time as a player, King won three consecutive NBA championships with the Bulls between 1991 and 1993. The Bulls traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 1993-94 season. King played a total of eight seasons in the NBA, with additional team tenure in Miami, Dallas, Boston and Minnesota, posting career averages of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
King later joined the Bulls broadcasting staff during the 2006-07 season. He initially hosted pregame and postgame television broadcasts. He later became the team's color commentator, serving alongside broadcaster Adam Amin starting in the 2020-21 season. King won an Emmy Award for his television broadcasting work. He also hosted a podcast titled "Gimme the Hot Sauce."
Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf said, "Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization's history. 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."
Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said, "Stacey loved being a Bull. 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." King had previously commented on his work, stating, "We enjoy what we do. It's a fun job. Every night, I go to work, win, lose or draw, I'm having fun."