Bulls great Stacey King died after a fall at his home, ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan said.
King, 59, died Sunday, though an official cause of death has not been disclosed.
“Absolutely devastated to hear that Stacey King has passed away at the age of 59 after a fall at his home,” Kaplan wrote on X. “He made watching the Bulls, no matter good season or bad so much fun. God bless you, my friend. RIP.”
Medical examiners said King was found at his River Forest home and a head autopsy is needed to confirm the cause of his death, ABC Chicago reported.
“Not too long ago, I talked to him, and we had made plans for the summer. We were gonna go have shrimp and just have a good summer,” his friend Ike White told the station. “Then, this morning, I was driving, and his son called and told me that Stacey had passed. And that was totally unexpected. Friends 30 years, and just like that, unexpected. It’s shocking. I’m hurting… Just to see his son crying like that, and there’s nothing you can do.”
King has been a part of the Bulls for over 25 years after being drafted No. 6 overall out of Oklahoma in 1989.
King played on the Bulls until 1994 and was part of the franchise’s first three-peat led by Michael Jordan.
He lasted two more years in the NBA before falling out of the league. After a short stint in coaching, King joined the Bulls broadcast team in 2006 and the next year became a lead color commentator, a role he held until his death.
Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf also released a statement.
“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Reinsdorf said. “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… 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.”
