Stacey King, the three-time NBA champion center who became the television voice of the Chicago Bulls, has died at the age of 59. The Bulls officially announced his passing on Sunday, June 7, after receiving notification from his family.
The organization did not release an official cause of death. According to unconfirmed reports from ESPN Chicago, King passed away following a fall at his residence. Prior to his professional career, King led the University of Oklahoma to the 1988 NCAA championship game as a consensus First-Team All-American.
Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf addressed the loss in a released public statement, calling King “one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history.” Reinsdorf acknowledged King’s three-decade connection to the franchise as both a player and media personality.
The Chicago Bulls selected the 6-foot-11 center with the sixth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. He became a reliable frontcourt contributor during the team’s first championship run under head coach Phil Jackson, securing NBA titles in 1991, 1992, and 1993 alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. King spent eight years in the NBA, taking the court for the Timberwolves, Heat, Celtics, and Mavericks before retiring.
Following a brief coaching stint in the CBA, King transitioned to the broadcast booth and joined the Bulls’ television network full-time in 2007. Over nearly two decades, he built a dedicated following through his energetic commentary and signature broadcast catchphrases like “gimme the hot sauce,” eventually earning an Emmy for his work on the air.