A basketball community is grieving the loss of Ronald Stacey King, who died at 59 on June 7, 2026, following a fall at his home. The Chicago Bulls organization announced his death, which was confirmed that afternoon by NBA insider Shams Charania.
King carved out two distinct legacies in Chicago — first as a rotation player who earned three NBA championship rings alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, then as a television broadcaster whose theatrical calls and player nicknames made him a beloved voice across multiple generations of Bulls fans.
The heartbreaking news jolted a fanbase that had come to know King’s booming presence on game nights for years after his playing days ended.
From Oklahoma to Championship Gold
Born Ronald Stacey King on January 29, 1967, in Lawton, Oklahoma, he developed into a six-foot-11, 230-pound left-handed big man who answered to “Sky” and “Pearl.” Following standout performances at Lawton High School and the University of Oklahoma, the Bulls selected him sixth overall in the 1989 NBA Draft — a class that would fuel Chicago’s dynasty run.
King debuted on November 3, 1989, and earned All-Rookie honors after appearing in all 82 games and averaging 8.9 points. Though coach Phil Jackson’s rotation increasingly centered on Jordan and Pippen, King contributed steadily through the franchise’s first three-peat, collecting rings in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
A Foundational Piece of a Dynasty
During the 1991-92 title run, King posted his statistical peak in Chicago, averaging 7.0 points across 79 games. He appeared in 76 contests the following championship season of 1992-93. Over five seasons with the Bulls, King logged 344 games — the majority of a career spanning 438 regular-season appearances.
Chicago traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 1993-94 campaign after 31 games. His role briefly expanded with Minnesota, where he averaged 11.8 points — his career high — across 18 games that season while playing nearly 29 minutes nightly.
A Journeyman’s Final Chapters
King remained with the Timberwolves through 1994-95, playing 50 games at 5.3 points per contest. The Miami Heat signed him for 1995-96, where he appeared in 15 games. His playing career concluded in 1996-97 with stops at the Boston Celtics, where he played five games, and the Dallas Mavericks, where he played six.
Across eight NBA seasons, King compiled averages of 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 47.8% from the field and 70.7% from the free-throw line, according to career totals. The statistics capture only a fraction of his impact. Three championship rings and his presence in locker rooms during one of American team sports’ greatest dynasties secured his place in Chicago history.
The Voice That Found a New Generation
King’s second act as a Bulls television broadcaster arguably exceeded his first in public visibility. His energetic commentary style and habit of bestowing nicknames on players turned him into appointment viewing, particularly during rebuilding seasons when his enthusiasm often eclipsed the on-court product.
“The NBA power forward was on three Bulls championship teams back in the 90’s. King then transitioned to broadcasting, where he was an energetic commentator on local Bulls telecasts, often doling out nicknames to players over the years,” an official said in a statement.
For fans too young to remember the Jordan dynasty, King served as the Bulls — a living bridge connecting championship banners to the present, memory to reality. His theatrical calls brought consequence to even routine regular-season contests.
A Community in Mourning
Tributes flooded social platforms within hours of the announcement, as former teammates, broadcast colleagues and fans shared memories of King’s calls, his laugh and his ability to make ordinary games feel meaningful. The Bulls organization had not announced funeral arrangements in the immediate aftermath.
King is remembered as a beloved longtime television broadcaster and one of the rare athletes whose second career deepened, rather than replaced, the affection earned in the first.
