OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. (WLS) — Family, friends and former colleagues gathered Thursday in Oakbrook Terrace to celebrate the life of beloved Chicago Bulls player and broadcaster Stacey King.
King died earlier this month at 59. Known for the energy and passion he brought to the broadcast booth as a TV analyst, he was remembered as both a larger-than-life personality and someone who made people feel instantly at ease.
Those who knew him best said that warmth defined him. King loved being around people, and the large turnout at Thursday’s funeral reflected the deep impression he left on so many.
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He will always be tied to the Bulls’ championship run in the early 1990s, having played on the franchise’s first three title-winning teams. Among those remembering him was former teammate Bill Cartwright, who said King had a rare ability to connect with anyone he met.
“That’s just the kind of person he was,” Cartwright said. “He just wanted you to feel good. He wanted you to feel comfortable around him, and he’s gonna be missed. He’s not replaceable.”
“That’s just the kind of person he was,” Cartwright said. “He just wanted you to feel good. He wanted to to feel comfortable around him, and he’s gonna be missed. He’s not replaceable.”
King played five seasons with the Bulls after being a first round draft pick in 1989. He joined the team as a broadcaster in 2006, working with Adam Amin.
“He was a celebrity around the world,” Amin said.
ABC7’s Mark Schanowski worked with King on broadcasts and a popular Bulls podcast.
“Big personality and a big heart,” Schanowski said. “He cared about Bulls fans.”
Former teammate Will Perdue remembers King’s fun-loving personality both as a player and later as a colleague on the broadcast team.
“Overwhelming the impact he had on the Bulls community worldwide,” Perdue said.
Chicago Sports Network producer Tamra Anderson spent a lot of time with King working together and became good friends. They posed for pictures including this one of the crew from the last games of the season.
“Stacey was more like a brother to me,” Anderson said. “Always called him my big brother. He looked up for me. Checked to make sure I was good.”
The Bulls have a memorial service panned for later this month at the Advocate Center. That will be for invited guests only.
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