Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls who later became a beloved voice for the franchise, passed away Sunday at the age of 59.
ESPN 1000 in Chicago reported that King experienced “a fall at his home,” though officials have not released an official cause of death.
The Bulls selected King as the sixth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft following his standout career at Oklahoma. He captured his first championship ring in 1991 as part of the Michael Jordan-led Bulls dynasty that claimed three straight titles.
“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.”
During his eight-year NBA career spanning 1989-97, King posted averages of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds across 438 games with 63 starts. Following his initial four-and-a-half seasons in Chicago, King went on to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.
King transitioned to broadcasting in 2006, initially serving as a studio analyst for Bulls telecasts before moving into the color commentator role in 2008.
During his college career at Oklahoma, King put up impressive numbers in the 1987-88 season with averages of 22.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots as the Sooners fell to then-Big 8 conference rival Kansas in the national title game. His senior campaign saw him earn Big 12 Player of the Year honors and consensus first-team All-American recognition while posting 26.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.
Oklahoma honored King by retiring his No. 33 jersey in 2008.
