ESPN analyst and former Duke assistant Chris Spatola dies at 47

Spatola, a former Army player and coach on Duke's 2010 title team, was remembered by colleagues and family after his death was announced Monday.

Chris Spatola, a college basketball analyst for ESPN and SiriusXM and a former assistant coach at Duke, died unexpectedly on Monday, ESPN announced. He was 47. The network did not disclose details about the cause of death.

Spatola played four seasons at Army from 1998 to 2002, starting all four years and earning All-Patriot League recognition twice. After serving in the U.S. Army, he joined Mike Krzyzewski's Duke staff as an assistant in 2007 and remained through 2012, including the Blue Devils' 2010 national championship season.

He moved into broadcasting after leaving Durham, working as a game analyst for ESPN and SiriusXM. Spatola was also Krzyzewski's son-in-law, married to the coach's daughter Jamie, with whom he had three children.

ESPN said in a statement that Spatola drew on his background as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster, and praised him as thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport.

The Krzyzewski family, in a statement issued through Duke, described Spatola as a devoted husband and father who served his country, and asked for privacy as the family grieves. Colleagues including Rece Davis, Seth Greenberg, Andy Katz and Baylor coach Scott Drew honored him on social media.