Stacey King, the longtime Chicago Bulls broadcaster and a three-time NBA champion as a player with the franchise in the early 1990s, has died, the team announced Sunday on social media.
King was 59 years old. The Bulls did not share a cause of death.
King played eight seasons in the NBA from 1989 to 1997, including his first four full seasons with the Bulls — a period that coincided with the team’s first championship three-peat led by stars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and head coach Phil Jackson. He spent the past 19 seasons as a television analyst on the Bulls’ game broadcasts and hosted a popular podcast called “Gimme the Hot Sauce.”
“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 released by the team. “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 he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day.”
The Lawton, Okla., native played under legendary head coach Billy Tubbs at Oklahoma in a four-year college career that included a trip to the 1988 NCAA Tournament finals. The 6-foot-11 big man had 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in that game, which the Sooners lost to Danny Manning and the Kansas Jayhawks. King was named a first-team All-American in his final season with the Sooners in 1988-89, after he led the Big Eight in scoring (26 points per game) and blocks (2.3 per game) over 33 games. The school retired his jersey on Jan. 19, 2008.
The Bulls drafted King with the sixth pick of the 1989 NBA Draft, and he became a regular off the bench for the team in his first four seasons, averaging 6 points and 2.7 rebounds when the franchise won its first three titles in 1991, ’92 and ’93. Chicago traded King to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Luc Longley and a second-round pick midway through the 1993-94 season, and he went on to have stints with the Miami Heat (1995-96), Boston Celtics (1997) and Dallas Mavericks (1997) before retiring as a player.
“Stacey loved being a Bull,” president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in the team’s statement. “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 teams. Whether it was through a broadcast, a conversation or a photo with a fan, Stacey made people feel seen and valued.”
King went into coaching soon after his playing days ended, culminating with a trip to the Continental Basketball Association championship game as the head coach of the Rockford Lightning in 2001-02.
King began his Bulls broadcasting career during the 2006–07 season, and his popularity soared alongside the meteoric rise of Derrick Rose. As Rose ascended to MVP status, King became a star in his own right, punctuating one breathtaking highlight after another with signature calls that became part of Bulls lore. Among his most memorable: “Too big, too strong, too fast, too good,” and the instantly iconic “What are you doing, Dragić? Did you not get the memo?”
But King’s appeal extended far beyond Rose’s highlights. He built a broadcasting persona around a colorful collection of catchphrases that resonated with fans, including “He didn’t come for the massage, he came for the facial,” “Step back and let me kiss myself,” and “That’s five to 10 on the streets.” Near the end of Bulls victories, he delighted viewers with his trademark sendoff: “Drive home safely, Chicago. Beep. Beep.” He also turned even routine sponsorship reads into must-hear moments, famously singing his way through a recurring insurance-company promotion during nearly every broadcast.
With his booming enthusiasm, quick wit and unmistakable voice, King became as much a part of the Bulls experience as the action on the court.
“Devastated to hear the news about my dear friend Stacey,” Mark Schanowski, a Chicago sports anchor/reporter and King’s co-host on “Gimme the Hot Sauce,” posted on X. “Everyone knows about his incredible talent, but it’s his warmth, compassion & amazing sense of humor that I will always remember & cherish. Rest easy my friend.”
