Jalen Brunson Pays Respect to Stacey King After Knicks Face Bulls at United Center

Playing his high school ball outside Chicago, Jalen Brunson shared a few kind words about the passing of Bulls legend Stacey King on Wednesday.

Sep 28, 2026; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) speaks during media day at the MSG training facility. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jalen Brunson may hold a key to New York City, but the Chicagoland area will always hold a special place in his heart.

The New York Knicks point guard took his first step toward stardom in the halls of Stevenson High School. Located in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Brunson dominated the local competition. He took home numerous accolades, including a State title, two Gatorade Player of the Year awards, and a Mr. Basketball trophy.

Brunson nearly stayed in the state of Illinois for his college run, giving both the Fighting Illini and Villanova Wildcats serious consideration. As many know, he would go on to commit to the latter, and the rest is quite literally history.

Nevertheless, whenever Brunson comes to the United Center, there are plenty of familiar faces for him to see. One of the most notable, however, was not in the building on Wednesday night.

Former NBA champion and long-time Bulls color commentator Stacey King passed away unexpectedly in June. The news has continued to leave the local community with a heavy heart, and the Bulls organization has put together several plans to honor King. This includes donning a special full-season jersey band, as well as planning a night to remember his legacy later this season.

Speaking with his local broadcast team after some fourth-quarter heroics, Brunson asked if he could share some words before signing off. The Knicks' guard proceeded to pay respect to King, sharing just how far the two go back:

“Real quick, just because we’re here, I just want to say RIP to Stacey King, who we lost recently," Brunson said. "A person who I knew when I was in high school out here. He supported our team a lot. His kids went to Stevenson. Just to see him not here today is a little sad. So, I want to say my thoughts and prayers are with him, and we miss him.”

It's a heartfelt and classy move by Brunson – the kind that every Bulls fan, player, and member of the organization can respect even after a crushing defeat. At the end of the day, it's also a reminder of how many lives King touched over the years with his vibrant personality.

Brunson will certainly not be the last to honor King this season, whose energy will be felt inside the United Center for years to come.

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