Chris Spatola, a college basketball analyst and the son-in-law of legendary former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, died Tuesday night. He was 47.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Spatola. Chris was a beloved Army veteran, coach, broadcaster, and true friend to the Duke Basketball family,” Duke men’s basketball said in a statement Wednesday.
“We send our love and condolences to his wife, Jamie, their three children, the Spatola and Krzyzewski families, and everyone who loved him,” the statement said.
No cause of death was disclosed.
Spatola played at Army from 1998 through 2002 and earned All-Patriot League honors twice during his four-year career. He later received commendation medals for his service as a captain, including for his deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. From 2007 to 2012, he worked on Krzyzewski’s Duke staff, a tenure that included the Blue Devils’ 2010 NCAA championship season, when current head coach Jon Scheyer was the team’s leading scorer.
Spatola was married to Krzyzewski’s daughter, Jamie, an author who collaborated with her father on several of his books.
“There are no words to adequately express our heartbreak over the loss of our beloved Chris Spatola,” the Krzyzewski family said in a statement. “Chris served our country, was a devoted husband and father, and was such an important part of our family.”
The statement added, “We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, thoughts, and prayers we have received during this incredibly difficult time. We respectfully ask for privacy as our entire family, particularly Jamie and her three beautiful children, grieve and process this unimaginable loss.”
Lance King/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Following his time on Duke’s coaching staff, Spatola moved into broadcasting. He worked as a color commentator for ESPN and TNT and also contributed to SiriusXM radio.
Jay Bilas, an ESPN commentator and former Duke player under Krzyzewski, said he was “devastated” by the loss of his friend.
“Chris was a wonderful human being. A point guard at West Point, Chris was an Army combat veteran, and a man of great humility and unusually high character,” Bilas said in a statement. “A great family man that was devoted to his wife Jamie and their wonderful family. Chris was selfless … a fabulous colleague and knowledgeable basketball man. With Chris, it was never about him, it was only about the game, the players, the coaches, and the fans. Heartbroken beyond words to lose such a great friend, yet grateful beyond words to have known him.”
