College basketball world mourns Chris Spatola's death: 'All-time great dudes'

Spatola, who ranks 10th on Army's all-time scoring list, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2002-07 following his four-year playing career. He returned to college basketball as a staff member at Duke under his father-in-law Mike Krzyzewski, one of the sport's greatest coaches, from 2007-12 before becoming a broadcaster.

"Chris Spatola brought a unique perspective to ESPN's college basketball coverage, shaped by his experiences as a student-athlete, Army veteran, coach and broadcaster," ESPN said in a statement. "He was thoughtful, prepared and passionate about the sport, earning the respect of colleagues, coaches, players and fans alike. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones during this difficult time."

It's clear Spatola meant a lot to numerous people in the industry. Those who knew him called him "kind," "egoless" and "an all-time dude" in tributes on social media.