Bulls analyst, ex-player Stacey King dies at 59

Helped bring Chicago three NBA Championships and was a standout during Bulls telecasts as color commentator

Chicago sports fans and media are mourning the loss of Stacey King, who died suddenly Sunday at the age of 59. His death has sent Shockwaves throughout the city as King was a beloved analyst for the Chicago Bulls for Chicago Sports Network  and before that, NBC Sports Chicago and Comcast SportsNet Chicago. As a former player, he helped lead the Bulls to their first three NBA titles in the early 1990s. Selected sixth in the 1989 NBA draft by the Bulls, King played for the organization for five seasons, before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1994. 

Former players and broadcasters such as Jason Benetti, lavished praise for King’s good-hearted nature and being fun to be around. 

Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf said this in a statement Sunday evening: 

“Stacey loved being a Bull. You could feel it in everything he did — the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans. He had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal. He brought an energy and love for the game that came through in every broadcast, helping fans feel connected to our team.”

“Whether it was through a broadcast, a conversation or a photo with a fan, Stacey made people feel seen and valued. We were fortunate to know him not only as a player and broadcaster, but as a friend. 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.”

King joined the Bulls broadcast team in 2006 after a short stint as head coach of the CBA’s Rockford Lightning, becoming a studio analyst during pregame and postgame shows. Later in the year, he became the third man in the broadcast booth before taking over as analyst full-time in 2007. King made watching Bulls games fun – even in years when watching the team play wasn’t so fun – and there were a lot of those during King’s tenure. King was paired with Neil Funk beginning in 2008, and since 2020, Adam Amin. 

Among the catchphrases he used was “Gimme the hot sauce” (when became a tile for his podcast), and used his signature reserved for wins, “Drive home safely Chicago, beep beep!” King was also a fan of the 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son, where he went into Redd Foxx’s “Elizabeth, I’m coming to join you, honey!” routine when a Bulls player made an amazing play, and referred to Derrick Rose as “The Windy City Assassin”. 

‘‘Stacey King was one of the most beloved figures in Chicago sports,” said Chicago Sports Network president Michael McCarthy in a statement. ‘‘Stacey had a unique ability to connect generations of Bulls fans. Whether through his basketball insight, his humor or his unforgettable calls, he made every game more enjoyable and every broadcast better.’’

For me personally, when I watched Bulls games (when I had the time), King made them fun. He was a great guy on and off the court, as he was truly a unique voice in Chicago broadcasting – one of the best and beloved. There will be an empty void watching Bulls games next season, one that won’t be easy to fill.