Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls and a long-serving Emmy-winning broadcaster, has died at 59. The Bulls announced his death Sunday after being notified by a family member.
CHICAGO — Stacey King, the Chicago Bulls’ unforgettable voice and a former player who won three straight NBA championships with the franchise, has died at 59.
The Bulls announced that King died Sunday and that they had been notified by a family member. No further details were immediately available.
In a statement. Bulls 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 bond with Chicago. the Bulls and their fans stretched “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.” He added that the team would “miss him deeply” while remembering “the joy. energy. humour. candour. and passion he brought to our organization. our broadcasts and our fans every day.”.
King’s Bulls story began on the court. Chicago selected the 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Oklahoma with the sixth overall pick in the 1989 draft. and he went on to play for the team from 1991-93. During his five seasons with the Bulls, he averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds. From there, he played eight total seasons in the NBA, with additional stops in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas. Over his full NBA career, King averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds.
What made King last beyond the final buzzer was the way he returned to the organization and stayed part of Bulls basketball in a different role. After his playing days, he became an Emmy-winning broadcaster, spending more than two decades as a commentator on Bulls games. Over that span, he endeared himself to a new generation of fans with memorable calls and nicknames.
Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said King “loved being a Bull. ” and that it showed in everything he did — from how he played to how he called games and how he connected with supporters. “You could feel it in everything he did. ” Michael Reinsdorf said. adding that King had “a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal.” He said King’s energy and love for basketball came through in every broadcast. helping fans feel connected to the team. and that King made people feel “seen and valued” whether he was on air. speaking with a fan. or posing for a photo.
“We were fortunate to know him not only as a player and broadcaster, but as a friend,” Michael Reinsdorf continued. “Stacey genuinely cared about people, and he made our organization better. We will miss him dearly, and his impact, memory and legacy will remain a part of the Chicago Bulls forever.”
For the Bulls, King’s death lands as a sudden and deeply personal loss — a reminder of how the franchise’s championship years carried forward through the voice, warmth and character that he brought to fans every day.
Stacey King Chicago Bulls NBA champion broadcaster Emmy-winning Jerry Reinsdorf Michael Reinsdorf Oklahoma Bulls