Stacey King, Bulls broadcaster and three-time NBA champion, dies at 59

Whether the Bulls were soaring with Derrick Rose or stumbling into the play-in tournament, fans watching on television could always be entertained by Stacey King's creative catch phrases.

King died Sunday at 59, the team announced. He was a Bulls player and broadcaster for more than three decades.

“Stacey loved being a Bull,” president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a 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.

“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 was drafted by the Bulls in 1989 after a stellar college career at Oklahoma. He was part of the championship teams from 1991-93 before being traded to Minnesota for Luc Longley in '94. King's playing career continued both in the NBA and overseas until 1999.

After spending two years coaching in the Continental Basketball Association, King joined Bulls broadcasts in 2006 as the team transitioned from Tom Dore and Johnny “Red” Kerr to King and Neil Funk on the television side. Addison native Adam Amin became King's broadcast partner in 2020 after Funk's retirement.

The Derrick Rose years brought out the best in King, since Rose provided spectacular highlights and King rose to the occasion with colorful descriptions.

A fast-break Rose dunk in Phoenix over Goran Dragic was undoubtedly King's most famous call.

“Stop it, stop it. What are you doing Dragic?” King screamed. “Did you not get the memo? Derrick Rose can go upstairs. I want to go higher. Somebody grab Dragic. Do you know who this kid is? He is from Chicago, he has a 40-inch vertical. This is where I need my poster machine. Where is it at?”

Some other famous King lines were, “Gimme the hot sauce,” or “Drive home safely, Chicago,” at the end of victories.

King was a Long Grove resident. Erick, the oldest of his four sons, was a football and baseball standout at Stevenson High School in the early 2010s.

“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,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”