Updated

Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 8

Michael Jordan Mourns Stacey King at 59 as Bulls Recall 3-Time Champion's 30-Year Chicago Legacy

Updated

Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 8

Michael Jordan Mourns Stacey King at 59 as Bulls Recall 3-Time Champion's 30-Year Chicago Legacy

Q: What details behind the beloved Bulls icon's sudden fall and death at 59 are still unknown?

What remains unknown is the official cause of Stacey King’s death and the precise circumstances of the reported fall at his River Forest home. Public reporting, including ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan, said King died after a fall on Sunday. But neither the Chicago Bulls nor King’s family had publicly confirmed that account as the definitive cause of death at the time of the reports. An official medical determination was still pending, with a head autopsy reported as necessary to establish or confirm exactly what caused his death. That means several key details were still unresolved: whether the fall itself directly caused his death, whether a medical event may have preceded or contributed to the fall, and the full sequence of events at the home. No public findings had yet clarified those points. Also still unannounced were funeral or memorial arrangements. So while the broad outline reported publicly is that King died after a fall, the exact medical cause and the details behind how it happened had not yet been officially released.

Q: A champion with Jordan, a voice for a generation. Which Stacey King legacy will Chicago cherish most?

Chicago is likely to cherish Stacey King most as the voice of Bulls basketball, even more than as a three-time champion alongside Michael Jordan. His playing career secured his place in franchise history. Drafted sixth overall in 1989, King was part of the Bulls’ first three NBA title teams from 1991 to 1993 and helped define the early dynasty years. Teammates such as Jordan remembered him as part of the group that shaped a historic era, and his championship pedigree gave him instant credibility with fans. But his deeper, broader legacy came in the broadcast booth. After returning to the organization in 2006 and becoming lead analyst in 2007, King spent nearly two decades bringing Bulls games into Chicago homes with humor, candor and sharp basketball insight. His catchphrases — “Gimme the hot sauce,” “Too big, too strong, too fast, too good,” and “Drive home safely, Chicago. Beep. Beep.” — became part of the city’s sports vocabulary. That role let him connect with far more people than his playing career alone could. He bridged generations: older fans remembered the championship teams, while younger fans knew him as the soundtrack of Bulls basketball through good seasons and bad. Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s description of King as “the unmistakable voice” of the franchise captures why his loss feels so personal in Chicago. His rings made him a Bull forever. His voice, personality and joy made him beloved. That is the legacy Chicago will most likely hold closest.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Chicago · Jun 8

Michael Jordan said he was "deeply saddened" by Stacey King's death Sunday, calling his former teammate part of the Bulls group that defined an era of Chicago basketball.
King, 59, was the No. 6 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft and spent five seasons with Chicago, averaging 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds while helping win three straight titles from 1991 to 1993.
That run ended with a 1994 trade to Minnesota, but King later returned to the Bulls as a broadcaster in 2006 and became a fan favorite through his on-air catchphrases.
Jerry Reinsdorf called King a cherished member of the Bulls family whose connection to Chicago spanned more than three decades as both a player and the voice of Bulls basketball.