The Chicago Bulls have announced a season-long tribute to honor the life and legacy of franchise icon Stacey King. The three-time NBA champion and longtime broadcaster passed away in June 2026, and the team will commemorate him throughout the 2026-27 season with a special jersey patch and a dedicated celebration night.
All Bulls players will wear a commemorative band on the upper-left side of their jerseys for the entire 2026-27 season. The black strip will feature King's surname and a stylized microphone icon, a direct reference to his two decades as the signature television voice for the team. This visual tribute will be a constant presence on the court.
The centerpiece of the commemoration will be a "Stacey King Celebration Night" on February 4, 2027. The Bulls will host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the United Center that evening. The date holds special meaning, falling just six days after what would have been King's 60th birthday on January 29. It also connects to his Oklahoma roots. Details about special guests and in-arena programming will be released closer to the event.
Stacey King was a foundational piece of the Bulls' first championship dynasty. The Chicago Bulls selected the 6'11" center from the University of Oklahoma with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. He joined a rising squad led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
King served as an essential rotational frontcourt player during the franchise's first three-peat. He provided size, rebounding, and interior defense off the bench to help secure consecutive NBA titles in 1991, 1992, and 1993. After his playing career, which included stops with several other teams, King returned to the Bulls organization.
He transitioned to broadcasting and became the full-time television analyst prior to the 2006-07 season. Over 18 years, King established himself as one of the most vibrant and beloved local sports commentators in the NBA. He earned a Regional Sports Emmy Award in 2013 for his work, known for his high-energy delivery and signature catchphrases.
Stacey King's passing on June 7, 2026, at his home in River Forest, Illinois, sent shockwaves through the basketball community. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed his death was caused by hypertensive cardiovascular disease related to long-term high blood pressure, with obesity listed as a contributing factor.
His death united generations of Bulls fans who knew him as both a championship player and a broadcast icon. The tribute bridges the two major eras of his connection to the franchise. Choosing the Oklahoma City Thunder as the opponent for the celebration night creates a poignant link to his pre-Chicago life, where he starred for the University of Oklahoma.
King anchored the 1988 Sooners squad that reached the NCAA national championship game. He earned Consensus First-Team All-American honors in 1989 and remains sixth on Oklahoma's all-time scoring list with 2,008 points. The Bulls' current roster will carry his legacy forward. Fans can track the team's progress and the upcoming tribute season on our schedule page.
The Bulls are planning this heartfelt tribute while handling the competitive landscape of the NBA. Their 2025-26 season finished with a challenging sequence, including the 149-128 defeat to Dallas.
Honoring a franchise legend like Stacey King provides a unifying focus as the team builds for the future.
