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ESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke assistant Chris Spatola dies at 47
ReESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke assistant Chris Spatola dies at 47
Chris Spatola, an ESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski, has died at 47. He was a former Army guard who served five years on active duty and later coached on Duke's 2010 national championship staff.
Chris Spatola, an ESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke assistant coach, has died at 47, the network announced Tuesday. Spatola, who was the son-in-law of Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, had been a fixture in college basketball broadcasting after a career that spanned military service, coaching and television.
ESPN praised Spatola for the perspective he brought to its coverage, shaped by his time as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster. The network described him as thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport, noting that he earned the respect of colleagues, coaches, players and fans alike. ESPN extended its condolences to his loved ones.
Before entering broadcasting, Spatola was a starting guard for the Army Black Knights. He led Army in scoring in three of his four seasons as a starter and finished his college career with 1,543 points, placing him among the program's top 10 all-time scorers.
After graduating from Army, Spatola spent five years on active duty from 2002 through 2007. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for exceptional combat performance. His leadership was also recognized with the Army Commendation Medal.
Spatola then moved into coaching, serving on Krzyzewski's staff at Duke from 2007 through 2012. During that period, the Blue Devils won the 2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball national championship, with Spatola working as an assistant coach. He also served as a court coach when Krzyzewski led the U.S. men's national team to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
His death marks the loss of a figure whose career connected military service, championship-level coaching and national broadcasting. In a statement, ESPN highlighted the breadth of his experience and the professionalism he brought to its college basketball coverage.
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