Stacey King death was confirmed by the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, June 7, 2026. The 6-foot-11 former forward who won three NBA championships alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen before spending nearly two decades as the unmistakable voice of Bulls television broadcasts was found dead Sunday morning at his River Forest, Illinois home. He was 59. ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan reported that King died after a fall at his home. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed a head autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death. No other details are immediately available.
Who Was Stacey King? A Legacy Built on Two Careers
King was a member of the first three Bulls championships (1991-93) after being a standout at Oklahoma. He also played for the Timberwolves, Heat, Celtics and Mavericks in his eight NBA seasons and averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in his career. Goal.com
The Bulls drafted King No. 6 overall in 1989, and he played in all 82 games as a rookie, coming off the bench and averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds. Goal.com
Born on January 29, 1967, in Oklahoma, Stacey King starred at the University of Oklahoma before being selected sixth overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1989 NBA Draft. He played eight NBA seasons and was a member of the Bulls’ first championship three-peat alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. ChartMill
At Oklahoma, King was a consensus All-America first team in 1988-89 as a senior, when he led the nation in rebounds. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team as a junior in 1988. Chartmill
How Did Stacey King Die? What We Know
The medical examiner’s office said King was found dead at his River Forest home on Sunday morning, and a head autopsy is needed to determine the cause of death. There are multiple reports that he fell there. ESPN
Chicago Bulls broadcaster and championship-winning forward Stacey King died June 7 as a result of a fall in his home, as reported by David Kaplan of ESPN Chicago. David Kaplan wrote: “Absolutely devastated to hear that Stacey King has passed away at the age of 59 after a fall at his home. He made watching the Bulls, no matter good season or bad so much fun. God bless you, my friend. RIP.” simplywall
King was pronounced dead Sunday morning in the 500 block of Bonnie Brae in River Forest, where he also lived. Yahoo Finance
Based on the fact that King was posting on Instagram on June 6, the death appears to have been sudden. No other family members or individuals were involved. The Bulls confirmed the death without specifying cause, pending the official autopsy findings. Chartmill
Stacey King’s Playing Career: Six Overall, Three Championships
King arrived in Chicago as one of the most decorated college players of his generation. His senior season at Oklahoma was historic, leading the nation in rebounds and earning first-team All-American honors. The Bulls taking him sixth overall in 1989 reflected that pedigree.
The 6-11 King was a member of the first three Bulls championships (1991-93) after being a standout at Oklahoma. In that legendary dynasty, King played a supporting role to the transcendent talents of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but every championship team requires depth, and King was part of the rotation across all three titles. Goal.com
After playing five seasons for the Bulls, King finished his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.9 minutes across 438 regular season games in his career. Chartmill
After his playing career wound down, he pursued coaching, taking the top job for the Rockford Lightning of the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association. The coaching stop proved brief. The broadcast booth was where King would make his most lasting mark. Goal.com
Stacey King the Broadcaster: “Gimme the Hot Sauce” and Two Decades of Bulls TV
He then moved to the broadcast booth in 2006, working as a studio analyst for Bulls pregame and postgame shows. He started filling in as a third broadcaster in games late in 2006 and moved to that role permanently in 2007. Goal.com
King, an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, became famous for his nicknames, as well as for his signature calls. Among them were: “Gimme the hot sauce,” “Let me step back and kiss myself” and “Drive home safely, Chicago! Beep, beep!” Goal.com
There has been very little levity in terms of Bulls basketball in the last decade. On many game nights, TV analyst — and former championship player — Stacey King was a lone beacon through a lot of dark seasons, a big man with an even bigger personality. Goal.com
That observation is essential to understanding what King meant to Bulls fans. Chicago has not been a playoff contender for much of his broadcast tenure, years of rebuilding, high draft picks, and losing seasons. Through all of it, King showed up every night with energy, humor, genuine knowledge of the game, and an infectious love for the Bulls franchise that never felt performed. For a generation of Chicago fans, he was the reason watching a 20-win team was still worth doing.
Jerry Reinsdorf and Michael Reinsdorf: The Bulls’ Official Tributes
Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said: “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 he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.” Goal.com
Michael Reinsdorf said: “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.” Goal.com
The NBA’s Statement: “Made Every Game Feel Personal”
The NBA issued a statement, saying: “The NBA family mourns the passing of Stacey King, a three-time NBA champion and longtime Chicago Bulls television analyst. Stacey made his mark on the game as a player, coach and commentator. For more than 20 years on Bulls broadcasts, his passion, knowledge and unmistakable energy resonated with generations of fans.” ESPN
Chicago Sports Network president Michael McCarthy said: “Stacey King was one of the most beloved figures in Chicago sports. 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.” Goal.com
ABC7 spoke with King’s friend Ike White on Sunday. White said: “Not too long ago, I talked to him, and we had made plans for the summer.” ESPN
King leaves behind four sons and was married in 2017. Chartmill
Stacey King’s Signature Calls: The Voice a City Grew Up With
For millions of Bulls fans, Stacey King’s voice is woven into the texture of their relationship with basketball. The catchphrases were part of it, but they were never the whole story.
King brought something rarer than catchphrases: credibility from a championship playing career, genuine enthusiasm that never felt manufactured, and a comfort in his own outsized personality that made watching him work as natural as watching the game itself. He coined terms for specific plays, assigned nicknames to players, and developed a lexicon that became shared language between the broadcast booth and the fans watching at home.
In almost 21 years as the Bulls’ TV analyst, King must’ve come up with more catchphrases than anyone in the industry. Goal.com
The words “Drive home safely, Chicago! Beep, beep!” became how an entire generation of Bulls fans signed off their game nights.
What Happens Next: Autopsy, Tributes, and a Season of Remembrance
King is slated to undergo a head autopsy, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Until those results are released, the reported fall at his home remains an unconfirmed cause of death. Yahoo Finance
The Bulls plan to honor King throughout next season and will make announcements about that in the near future. Goal.com
Jason Benetti, who knew King through their overlapping years covering Chicago sports, said he remembered working with King in what he described as a partnership, a word that captures something important about who King was in the broader Chicago sports media landscape.
The 2026-27 Bulls season will open with a franchise processing the sudden loss of a figure who represented thirty-five years of continuity, from the championship dynasty to the rebuild. Every ceremony, every game, every broadcast will carry that absence.
Latest Updates
The Chicago Bulls announced Stacey King’s death on June 7, 2026. Chicago Sun-Times confirmed that King was pronounced dead Sunday morning in the 500 block of Bonnie Brae in River Forest, that a head autopsy has been ordered by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, and that Jerry Reinsdorf and Michael Reinsdorf both issued formal statements of tribute. ABC7 Chicago confirmed that ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan reported King died after a fall at his River Forest home, and that the NBA issued an official statement mourning his passing. ESPN confirmed the three-time championship details and broadcasting career in its tribute coverage. Goal.comESPN
Full sources: Chicago Sun-Times | ESPN | Chicago Bulls / NBA.com
Broader Implications
Stacey King’s death is a loss that lands differently than most. He was not just a figure from the past, a retired player whose connection to Chicago faded as his playing days receded. He was present, consistent, and generationally relevant right up to the end, broadcasting games, posting on Instagram the day before he died, talking to friends about summer plans.
For the Bulls organization, he represented something irreplaceable: a living connection between the Jordan era and the present, someone who could speak with authority about what championship basketball looked like from the inside and still make a 40-loss season feel worth watching. Finding a broadcaster who can hold that kind of relationship with a city and a franchise is harder than drafting one.
For Chicago sports fans, the loss lands in the same category as losing a neighborhood institution. King was not just on television. He was in the room with you every game night, summer plans, beep beep, gimme the hot sauce, and all.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How did Stacey King die? Stacey King was found dead at his River Forest, Illinois home on the morning of June 7, 2026. ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan reported that King died after a fall at his home. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed a head autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death. The Chicago Bulls confirmed his death without specifying cause.
2. How old was Stacey King when he died? Stacey King was 59 years old at the time of his death on June 7, 2026. He was born on January 29, 1967, in Oklahoma.
3. What championships did Stacey King win with the Bulls? Stacey King was a member of the Chicago Bulls’ first three NBA championship teams, winning titles in 1991, 1992, and 1993 alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He was selected sixth overall in the 1989 NBA Draft and played his first five NBA seasons in Chicago.
4. How long was Stacey King a broadcaster for the Bulls? Stacey King joined the Bulls’ broadcast team in 2006 as a studio analyst and moved to the color commentator role permanently in 2007. He served as the Bulls’ television color analyst for nearly two decades, approximately 19 to 20 broadcast seasons. He won an Emmy Award for his broadcasting work.
5. What were Stacey King’s most famous catchphrases? Stacey King’s signature calls included “Gimme the hot sauce,” “Let me step back and kiss myself,” and “Drive home safely, Chicago! Beep, beep!” He was also known for his nicknames for players and his ability to create memorable, spontaneous phrases that became part of the shared language between the broadcast and Bulls fans.
Sources and References
- Chicago Sun-Times: Former Bulls Player and Broadcaster Stacey King Dies at 59
- ESPN: Stacey King, 3-Time NBA Champion With Bulls, Dies at 59
- Chicago Bulls / NBA.com: Chicago Bulls Mourn Passing of Stacey King
