SHOCKING NEW DETAILS: Bulls Champion Stacey King, 59, Died After Tragic Fall at Home – Head Autopsy Underway
King passed away on Sunday after a fall at his home, ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan reported.
“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. A head autopsy is needed to confirm the cause of death, according to ABC Chicago.
King’s longtime friend Ike White shared his shock with the station:
“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. 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 had been part of the Bulls organization for more than 25 years. He was drafted No. 6 overall out of Oklahoma in 1989. He played for the Bulls until 1994 and was a member of the franchise’s first three-peat championship teams led by Michael Jordan.
After two more seasons in the NBA, King briefly coached before joining the Bulls broadcast team in 2006. In 2007, he became the lead color commentator, a role he held until his death.
Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf released the following statement:
“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… 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.”
