Chris Spatola, a college basketball analyst and son-in-law of retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, has died aged 47.
His death was confirmed Tuesday night by the Krzyzewski family in a statement released through Duke. No cause was disclosed.
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“There are no words to adequately express our heartbreak over the loss of our beloved Chris Spatola,” the family said. “Chris served our country, was a devoted husband and father, and was such an important part of our family.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, thoughts, and prayers we have received during this incredibly difficult time. We respectfully ask for privacy as our entire family, particularly Jamie and her three beautiful children, grieve and process this unimaginable loss.”
Mike Krzyzewski was Spatola’s father-in-law (Getty)
A two-time all-Patriot League selection during a four-year playing stint at Army between 1998 and 2002, Spatola later received commendation medals as a military captain deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. From 2007 to 2012, he worked on Krzyzewski’s staff at Duke, assisting during the 2010 NCAA title run featuring current head coach Jon Scheyer as top scorer.
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He later transitioned to broadcasting, working with ESPN and SiriusXM. Both networks issued statements Tuesday night, with ESPN calling him “thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport,” and SiriusXM describing him as “an exceptional teammate and host — intelligent, authentic and passionate.”
Duke and Army published social media statements honoring Spatola on Wednesday morning.
“With Chris, it was never about him, it was only about the game, the players, the coaches, and the fans,” ESPN analyst and former Duke player Jay Bilas stated in a message shared on Instagram. “Heartbroken beyond words to lose such a great friend, yet grateful beyond words to have known him.”
