Chris Spatola, ESPN Analyst and Army Veteran, Dies at 47

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Chris Spatola, ESPN Analyst and Army Veteran, Dies at 47

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Chris Spatola, a respected college basketball analyst for ESPN and former member of the Duke coaching staff, died suddenly on Monday at 47 years old. The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Spatola was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was a four-year starter on the basketball team and finished as one of Army’s all-time leading scorers. After graduating in 2002, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army, including a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his military service, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for exceptional combat performance and the Army Commendation Medal for outstanding leadership.

Following his military career, Spatola joined the Duke men’s basketball coaching staff in 2007, under his father-in-law, Mike Krzyzewski. He remained with the Blue Devils until 2012, a period that included a National Championship victory in 2010. Spatola also served as a court coach for the United States Men’s National Team, contributing to gold medal wins at the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Championships.

Since 2015, Spatola had been a college basketball analyst for ESPN, providing game and studio analysis. He was also a regular commentator on SiriusXM. ESPN released a statement acknowledging his unique perspective, shaped by his experiences as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach, and broadcaster. Spatola is survived by his wife, Jamie Krzyzewski, and their three children.

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