ESPN announces death of CBB analyst Chris Spatola, son-in-law of Mike Krzyzewski
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
ESPN on Tuesday night announced that Chris Spatola, a college basketball analyst at the network and the son-in-law of Mike Krzyzewski, has passed away. Spatola was 47 years old.
“Chris Spatola brought a unique perspective to ESPN’s college basketball coverage, shaped by his experiences as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster,” ESPN said in a statement. “He was thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport, earning the respect of colleagues, coaches, players, and fans alike. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time.”
According to his bio, Spatola joined ESPN in 2015. He played collegiately at Army, where he led the team in scoring in his final two seasons.
He went on to enlist in the U.S. Army and served until 2007, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received the Joint Service Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal as a result of his time of service. After that, he joined his father-in-law’s staff at Duke for five seasons before his hiring as a commentator with ESPN. Along with his duties there, he was a co-host for Krzyzewski’s SiriusXM radio show, “Basketball and Beyond with Coach K.”
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our friend and colleague, Chris Spatola, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” a statement from SiriusXM read. “Chris was an exceptional teammate and host — intelligent, authentic, and passionate — and we are fortunate to have had him as a part of our SiriusXM family.”
Spatola is survived by his wife, Jamie, and their children.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
