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Chicago Bulls legend Stacey King’s cause of death has been determined. A spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office told the California Post on Monday that the three-time NBA champion died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease — an issue caused by long-term high blood pressure. Obesity was a contributing factor and the manner was natural, the rep added.
NBA star Rui Hachimura has been selected for the Japanese men's national team's training camp for the second round of the 2027 Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers later this month, the Japan Basketball Association said Monday. The selection comes as Hachimura has recently expressed his intention to return to play for Japan after distancing himself from the national team over concerns about its management following the 2024 Paris Olympics. Free agent Yuki Kawamura, who played for the Chicago Bulls in the 2025-2026 season, is also among 14 players who will join the training camp starting on Aug. 11.
On Friday, Colorado district court judge Charlotte Sweeney ruled that the NCAA could not prevent athletes from using a fifth year of eligibility if they enrolled in college in 2022, even if they had already competed for four years.
The decision leaves a handful of players who were drafted in the second round of June’s NBA draft with the potential option to return to school. Vanderbilt wing Tyler Nickel (No. 47 overall to the Knicks), Purdue guard Braden Smith (No. 38 by the Bulls), St. John’s guard Dillion Mitchell (No. 40 to the Celtics) and Florida State’s Lajae Jones (No. 54 to the Warriors) are all apparently eligible to play college basketball next year.
Smith will not explore a return to college basketball, a league source confirmed to FOS, but remains unsigned by the Pacers, who acquired him from the Bulls on draft night. The Pacers are close to the first apron and the franchise has historically avoided the luxury tax, which is why it has yet to fill its final roster spot as it seeks a team-friendly contract. If Smith returned to college basketball, the Pacers would retain his NBA rights as long as the team tenders him a contract by Aug. 5. The same goes for Nickel, Mitchell, and Jones with their respective teams.
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The French forward has since signed with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, bringing an end to his second NBA stint after spending time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks, and Chicago Bulls. Yabusele's return to the league started positively in Philadelphia, but his situation changed after joining New York. He appeared in 41 games for the Knicks, averaging only nine minutes and failing to make a single start. "I spoke with my wife, my agents, and my mentor," Yabusele told AS about his decision to leave. "It was an important decision. I didn't make it easily. It took a long time, and there were many questions." "I thought about French teammates who had gone through the same thing and stayed there for years without playing. I can't do that. I was the one who decided to leave, not them. I'd rather be the one making that decision."
As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they’ve been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls’ reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.
The Bulls recognize how early they sit in this rebuild, and the desire for talent at any position will trump stylistic need for a roster still discovering its long-term identity. Mathurin, who turned 24 in June, remains a talented young scorer who could be worth a flyer. But Chicago values two things at this stage: roster flexibility and acquiring future assets. Mathurin made roughly $9.2 million this past season, and his next contract is widely expected to exceed that figure in annual value.
While it remains possible the Bulls use that room on Mathurin or someone else to fill their final roster spot, they remain fixated on maintaining cap and roster flexibility. Given the Bulls’ priorities, they are reluctant to enter into any long-term commitments. General manager Bryson Graham has signaled a preference for short-term deals with limited guarantees, having inked guard Norman Powell and center Zach Collins to two-year contracts with a team option in Year 2.
Marc Stein: The Pelicans and Bulls remain engaged suitors for Clippers RFA Bennedict Mathurin, says one source close to the process. The source adds: "Dallas has not expressed interest at a serious level" thus far. @MikeAScotto reported today that Milwaukee has joined the Mathurin chase.
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While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype. With that said, there’s work to be done by each team if they’re going to add Mathurin.
The Stein Line on Tuesday learned that Chicago is Mathurin's other current suitor. You'll recall that The Stein Line also revealed recently (July 23 to be exact) that New Orleans has been trying to shed Jordan Hawkins' contract via trade to move further away from the first apron. Among the options available to the Pelicans, if they succeed in those efforts, would be opening up the use of a healthy portion of its midlevel exception to assemble an offer sheet to Mathurin.
Channing Frye: "The goalposts moves every time he makes a decision. If he would have went to Golden State, it'd gross. If he would have went to a Cavs, oh he's stacking teams. Let's say he went to Houston, oh you're stacking teams. So no matter what decision he makes, half of the people are going to think it's bullsh*t anyway. So you might as well do what you want. And that's what he's doing. So his legacy, what you going to do? You can't argue with numbers and facts. And no player has moved the needle for as many teams as he has in his career. And that's a fact."
BullsMuse: A Stacey King mural is currently being painted in Logan Square honoring his legacy. ❤️🕊️ 📍2929 W. Fullerton Ave (off the Blue Line)