Chicago feels a void. One that isn’t going to fill itself.

Stacey King, the Bulls icon, was only 59. He died at his home, the reason for which has not been revealed. Only a month before his tragic demise, the former 6-foot-11 Oklahoma forward was talking about how he loved being a broadcaster. All this wasn’t work for him. The hours didn’t matter, nor did the stress.

“It’s a fun job, it never seems like work for me,” King said on his Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast. “Every night, I go to work: win, lose, or draw, I’m having fun.”

King was the ideal teammate you could have around you. The start of his professional career with the Bulls coincided with the franchise’s first three-peat. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1989 draft and played all 82 games as a rookie. He was a regular off the bench and, in turn, built a great bond with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, even calling the latter his best teammate. The six-time NBA champion was among the first to release a statement after King’s death.

“Sad to hear about the passing of Stacey King,” Pippen wrote on Instagram, honoring King’s life. “A champion, a great teammate, and a true ambassador for the game. His impact on the Bulls organization and the city of Chicago will be remembered for generations. Rest in peace, King.”

The longtime Bulls announcer had a welcoming, hearty personality. However, during his playing career, King was ruthless. He averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in his first pro season and earned a selection on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. King played a notable role in the Bulls’ 15-point final frame comeback in Game 6 of the 1992 Finals to claim the Larry O’Brien.

King also became close with Bill Cartwright, who was a veteran on the same team. They developed a mentor-mentee relationship over time. The Oklahoma native understood early that he wasn’t going to be able to score 20 points a night for this team, given its star power and depth. King, instead, was grateful to have been fortunate enough to win a ring as a player.

“The bottom line is I’ve won my whole life, and when I look at personal accolades, I’d rather have won a championship,” King said over a decade ago. “A lot of great players never got out of the first round of the playoffs. I look at the big picture. When you have success as a team, everybody prospers, and I think sometimes guys don’t understand that.”

King and Cartwright kept in touch and even appeared on each other’s podcasts over the past few years. Cartwright even shared a touching tribute like Pippen did.

“A message to the world about one of my closest friends: As good of a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person, friend, and leader,” Cartwright wrote on Instagram. “Stacey continuously reminded me to look at the good in life. His presence brought pure happiness and joy to all. The world seems dim today, as we mourn the loss of a legend. Rest in peace, Stacey King.”

Pippen and Cartwright weren’t the only ones to drop heartfelt tributes after King’s death.

Bulls post tribute to Stacey King, whose legacy spans more than three decades as a player and iconic broadcaster

Stacey King transcended his playing stint with the Chicago Bulls. After spending some time coaching, he returned with his full-of-life personality to make some iconic play calls that will be thoroughly missed. The Chicago Bulls chairman, Jerry Reinsdorf, spoke highly of the quality of person King was. 

“Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization’s history,” Reinsdorf said in a team 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. We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day.”

Some of King’s catchphrases on air include, “He didn’t come for a massage, he came for the facial,” after a thunderous dunk.

“Step back and let me kiss myself,” and “That’s five to 10 on the streets.”

“Stop it! Stop it! What are you doing, Dragić! Did you not get the memo? Oh my goodness! Dragić. Do you know who this kid is? He is from Chicago!” King said when D-Rose dunked on Goran Dragic.

King let loose another iconic piece of work earlier this past season when Josh Giddey’s half-court heave won the Bulls a losing game against the Lakers.

“Oh. My. God. I cannot believe this!” King shouted. “Elizabeth, I’m coming, baby! Oh lord!”

The “Elizabeth” comment was a reference to a line that Redd Foxx’s character would always say in the ’70s sitcom Sanford and Son.

Toward the end of the Bulls’ victories, King also delighted viewers with his trademark sendoff: “Drive home safely, Chicago. Beep. Beep.”

It’s those calls of extravagant energy that separated King from anyone else. Even though he wasn’t playing and was tasked with calling the action, you could tell King was head over heels for basketball. His legacy extends far beyond his work as a player; he is remembered as a warm individual to all.

Drive home safely, King. Beep. Beep.