Bulls’ Derrick Rose pens powerful tribute to Stacey King

Jun 9, 2026 - 01:15

The basketball world was thrust into mourning on Sunday following the news that former Chicago Bulls center Stacey King had passed away at the age of 59.

A key contributor to the Bulls’ first championship dynasty, King helped Chicago capture three consecutive NBA titles from 1991 through 1993, making a long-lasting impact on the Chicago sports scene.

And his impact was strong on former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose, who penned a special tribute on social media in poem form for King.

Via The Chicago Sports Network on X, Rose wrote:

“Stacey King, your voice became a part of mine
Calling moments out
that now live beyond time.

When the lights got dim
and the crowd moved on
Your belief stayed strong
and carried on.

You didn’t just call plays,
you helped tell my story
From the pain of the struggle
to the height of the glory.

So if my name still echoes,
if my Rose still grows
A piece of that garden is yours…
I hope you know.”

During his time at Oklahoma, King averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game in 114 total appearances. Selected by the Bulls in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1989 NBA Draft, King would eventually be named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1990 as a member of the Bulls, shortly before helping them win three consecutive championships.He later continued his professional career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Dallas Mavericks.

Across 438 career regular season NBA games, King averaged 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

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