Stacey King

Ronald Stacey King (January 29, 1967 – June 7, 2026) was an American professional basketball player and sports announcer. He played as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three consecutive championships with the Chicago Bulls in 1991, 1992, and 1993. He played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners, earning national player of the year honors in 1989. After retiring as a player, King had a brief stint as a head coach in the Continental Basketball Association before becoming the color commentator for the Bulls on their television broadcasts from the 2006–07 season until his death in 2026.

Early life and college career King was born on January 29, 1967, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He attended Lawton High School, where he averaged 18.4 points and 8 rebounds in his senior year, eliciting moderate attention from colleges. He played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma from 1985 to 1989.

During the 1987–88 season, King was recognized as "a star on a star-studded team." He averaged 22.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks, King led the Sooners to the 1988 NCAA championship game, their first appearance in 41 years. He recorded 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks during the game, but Oklahoma ultimately lost to Kansas. He was named the MVP of the tournament and pledged to remain at Oklahoma and finish his degree. leading the Big Eight Conference in points and blocks per game.

Professional career

Chicago Bulls (1989–1994) After a standout college career at Oklahoma, King was projected to be a top pick in the 1989 NBA draft, particularly for teams in need of a power forward. He was selected sixth overall by the Chicago Bulls. He scored a career-high 24 points along with 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals in a 122–97 win over the Washington Bullets on March 20, 1990. In the playoffs, he averaged 17 points and 5 rebounds in his two starts in place for Scottie Pippen in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Regardless, King recalled playing well in place for Bill Cartwright for several weeks, and the team eventually won the 1991 NBA Finals for the franchise's first NBA championship.

MJ got on everybody when it came to basketball... But as a person, if Stacey wasn't in that locker room, it wouldn't have been the same and we all knew that. Stacey always took the edge off with his jokes when we were tight, in those playoff games against the Knicks and Pistons. Or if we needed someone to pick on, he was there too. And we all loved him for it. — Horace Grant

— 2012 The team encouraged him to be a "piece of the puzzle" and general manager Jerry Krause emphasized his role as a defender rather than a scorer. He played the role of a rotational bench player during the Michael Jordan-led dynasty in the early 1990s, winning three NBA championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993, being "remembered fondly for his personality as a Bull" after his playing career. However, he did not reflect fondly on his tenure due to the team's lack of professionalism. In the 1996–97 season, King signed 10-day contracts with the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics but was not able to secure a permanent role on either team as they prioritized younger talents. He then signed with Atenas de Córdoba in Argentina for the 1998–99 season but played only six games due to injuries before being released. He retired from professional basketball afterwards. Returning for the 2001–02 season, King led the Lightning to their first CBA Finals appearance in 16 years, King later coached his former team, the Skyforce. He was a game analyst during the 2006 NBA playoffs. He became a game broadcaster for the Bulls in the 2006–07 season. In 2008, he became the lead color commentator along with Neil Funk. King continued in that role when Funk was succeeded by Adam Amin in 2020 until the channel's closure in 2024. King then transitioned to Chicago Sports Network and retained his role as lead color commentator along with Amin.

Funk said, "the one thing Stacey has is the ability of not only being entertaining but informative and he's able to articulate that, which is a rare combination". King later said that the dunk "kind of made me famous" and "got my catchphrases going". His calls on Rose's plays, including his widely recognized "Too big, too strong, too fast, too good" catchphrase, The Chicago Tribune wrote that King spent most of his broadcasting career "breathing life" into mediocre seasons, as the Bulls qualified for the playoffs only twice in his final 10 years with the team. but they later split as he married Debi King in 2017, who he remained with until his death. He had four sons: Erick, Garrett, Brandon, and Mason.

King's mother died on December 25, 2010.

King was found dead at his home in River Forest, Illinois, on June 7, 2026, at the age of 59. It was reported that he had fallen at his home; an autopsy to determine an exact cause of death was pending.

Career statistics

NBA Regular season

Playoffs