Stacey King, beloved Bulls champion and broadcaster, dies at 59

The Chicago Bulls announced that Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion and longtime television analyst, passed away at age 59 on Sunday, June 7, 2026. The NBA and Bulls both issued condolences, offering no details beyond what the team said at the time, that they were notified by a family member. The lack of additional information left unanswered questions for fans, including how the death occurred. Reporters have said a fall was involved, but team and league statements did not confirm a cause.

King’s connection to Chicago was never purely professional. He was drafted by the Bulls in the 1989 NBA Draft, selected sixth overall as a 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Oklahoma, and he played five seasons in Chicago during the era that culminated in the franchise’s first three-peat. His playing career with the Bulls included statistical production that fit the dynasty’s role players, and he later spent time in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas. Over eight NBA seasons, he averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, but his real lasting value to the franchise became the way he returned years later.

In 2006, King came back to the organization as a broadcaster, ultimately becoming one of the most identifiable voices in Chicago sports television. described him as an Emmy-winning analyst whose passion and energy resonated with generations of fans, and it placed his broadcast career at more than two decades. The Bulls’ own statement from chairman Jerry Reinsdorf framed King as “a cherished member of the Bulls family,” emphasizing that his impact spanned more than three decades from player to “the unmistakable voice” of Bulls basketball. For many viewers, especially those who grew up around Bulls broadcasts rather than highlight reels, he was the consistent point of warmth.

King’s humor and color were built for the cadence of weekly NBA coverage. Even when the Bulls were not contenders, he made the game feel closer, more personal, and often fun. noted how he crafted memorable calls and nicknames, and it pointed to the way he connected quickly with viewers as both a former player and an unabashed fan. In one recent interview reference, King discussed his mindset toward broadcasting, describing it as work that never really felt like work.

His death also lands during a moment when the Bulls and the rest of the league are navigating a constantly changing broadcast landscape, where regional voices are routinely replaced and formats tighten. King’s long run offered the opposite trend, a sustained presence through roster turnover, scheme changes, and changing viewer habits. With Chicago’s TV booth now facing an immediate gap, teams across the league will have to decide how they preserve continuity while the production side adjusts.

For Bulls fans, the practical questions will come next: how the organization will honor King in upcoming programming, whether games and broadcast segments will include tributes, and who joins the booth as the team moves forward. For the wider NBA, the loss is both personal and symbolic. The league described King as a “three-time NBA champion and longtime Chicago Bulls television analyst,” and it emphasized that his passion for the game resonated with fans across generations. In the days immediately after his passing, it will become clear how much of his legacy can be carried by whoever sits next to the microphone in Chicago.

In the meantime, the only confirmed details remain those provided by the Bulls and the NBA: King died Sunday, June 7, at 59. Reports that he died after a fall at his home are being attributed to ESPN Chicago radio host David Kaplan, but cause of death was not released in the statements issued by basketball’s governing body or Chicago’s front office. That distinction matters to how quickly the public can turn grief into certainty.