Three-Time NBA Champion Dies at 59

Focus On Sport / Getty ImagesStacey King, a sports broadcaster and former basketball champion, has died at age 59, the Chicago Bulls announced Sunday. King began his professional career at the Bulls, having been drafted sixth from Oklahoma in 1989. He played alongside NBA superstars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the Bulls back-to-back title wins from 1991 to 1993. After finishing out his playing career at the Timberwolves, Heat, Celtics and Mavericks, King returned to Chicago to anchor Bulls TV broadcasts. “Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Bulls owner and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “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,” Reinsdorf said. “We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion that he brought to our organization, our broadcasts, and our fans every day.” Tributes from fans poured in on social media on Sunday, highlighting his commentating and his ball-playing skills. No cause of death was provided. Read it at ESPNRead more at The Daily Beast.