ESPN Analyst and Army Veteran Chris Spatola Dies at 47

Chris Spatola, a longtime ESPN college basketball analyst and son-in-law of Mike Krzyzewski, died unexpectedly Monday at age 47.

Chris Spatola, a longtime ESPN college basketball analyst and Army veteran, died unexpectedly at age 47 on Monday, Sept. 21, according to announcements from his family and ESPN. He was the son-in-law of former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and is survived by his wife Jamie, Krzyzewski's youngest daughter, and their three children.

ESPN said in a statement that Spatola brought a distinctive perspective to its college basketball coverage, drawn from his time as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster. The network described him as thoughtful, prepared and passionate, and noted he had earned the respect of colleagues, coaches, players and fans.

Spatola played college basketball at Army, the school where Krzyzewski began his coaching career, and started all four years before serving in the military after graduating. He later worked on Krzyzewski's Duke staff from 2007 to 2012, a span that included the Blue Devils' 2010 NCAA championship. He also served as a court coach for USA Basketball teams that won gold at the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

He joined ESPN in 2015 and spent more than a decade as an analyst across game and studio coverage for both ESPN and SiriusXM. Duke Basketball paid tribute to him as a beloved veteran, coach, broadcaster and friend of the program, and the Krzyzewski family asked for privacy as they mourn, particularly for Jamie and her three children.