It was a special day on June 27th, 1989, in Madison Square Garden’s former Felt Forum. Hundreds of individuals in suits and dresses roamed and moved around through the same forum as they were all preparing for one of the biggest major sporting events of that year: The National Basketball Association’s entry draft. It was that one particularly memorable day when the Chicago Bulls franchise selected a 6ft 11 in 22-year-old center from the University of Oklahoma. His name was Ronald “Stacey” King.
To say that the late Bulls general manager Jerry Krause and the organization itself felt that the Big Eight player of the year and consensus All-American standout would be a good fit into their roster was a total understatement. It was a “perfect” fit like a hand in a glove. Krause and the front office knew that including a young, talented center filled with magnetic energy into their roster was a definite must. Although the Bulls still have veteran center Bill Cartwright in the mix, management and newly appointed head coach Phil “Zen Master” Jackson saw something incredibly special in the Lawton, Oklahoma native who led the Sooners to the NCAA championship game one year earlier before falling short to the eventual champions, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The team also learned that his lively and happy-go-lucky personality was just as big and tall as his height.
The Bulls’ choice of drafting King was also a perfect fit like a ring on a finger, as he was named to the All-Rookie Second team and most importantly, contributed tremendously to the first three consecutive NBA titles the team has won from 1991 to 1993. The unparalleled and unprecedented accomplishment was a powerful message and sign of saying that if you can win games with Michael Jordan, who’s widely known as a ruthless and competitive teammate, then you can achieve anything in life. If you can dethrone the back-to-back NBA champions, the Detroit “Bad Boys” Pistons, you are bound to obtain more success after basketball.
His magical run as a player for the Bulls unfortunately ended during the course of the 1993-1994 season when the franchise traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for another big man with exceptional talent, Luc Longley, who subsequently went on to snag the last three titles with Chicago himself. Although he averaged 11.8 points and 6 rebounds per contest with the Timberwolves, King signed with the Miami Heat several months later before being hindered by injuries. He experienced two levels of playing professional basketball in the Continental Basketball Association and overseas, marking him as a respected journeyman in the game.
If anyone in his circle of friends and family had guessed whether he would become a color commentator in sports broadcasting, then they would be unequivocally correct. Because of the vibrant presence that he conveyed in every group was vivacious, strong, and warm just like the shape of his heart. The Bulls and Comcast Sports Net did not waste any time in welcoming him back, this time as an analyst twenty years earlier. His voice mesmerized every single viewer in a colorful and explosive manner; it was a subliminal gesture of telling them, “You should’ve been at the United Center instead of watching the game from your television at home.” Millions of Bulls fans will never forget the captivating calls and catchphrases he uttered during legendary games.
“Did you not get the motto?!”
“Get out the way, boy!”
“Give me the hot sauce!”
“Let me step back and kiss myself!”
However, no one will ever forget his most notable call in all of his 1,500 games he has commentated for the Bulls.
“Too big, too strong, too fast, too good!”
It’s no surprise that his overly passionate calls were large echoes that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the Midwest heard very well, and which convinced them to give him an Emmy award in the sports broadcasting category. It’s fair to say that Stacey has also “fit” into the pack of well-known fan favorites in the Bulls franchise and the entire city of Chicago. It’s a complete shame and disgrace that he wasn’t even featured in the critically acclaimed “The Last Dance” documentary. Yes, it was hard to hate or even dislike Stacey King. He was undoubtedly what the organization and city needed in a player, public figure, ambassador, and role model. Stacey, thank you for being the enormous light and voice of the Bulls and our beautiful city. You will never be forgotten.