Voices from the broadcast world are urging NBA teams to consider Jeff Van Gundy for open head coaching positions. The former head coach and longtime analyst is currently a lead assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, a role many credit for rehabilitating his standing within the league coaching ranks.
ESPN personalities Brian Windhorst, Stephen A. Smith, and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo recently advocated for Van Gundy on the network's "First Take" program. They highlighted his contributions to the Clippers this season as a reason teams should look his way for vacancies.
Windhorst noted the impact Van Gundy has made in Los Angeles, stating that "Clippers player after Clippers player" have discussed his role in improving the team. He suggested the league should remember Van Gundy's capabilities while evaluating the Clippers' performance.
Smith echoed Windhorst's sentiment, calling Van Gundy an "exceptional coach and a great basketball mind." He added that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has praised Van Gundy's work with the team.
Russo also lent his support, adding that Van Gundy was a "great" analyst during his nearly two decades covering the league before his recent return to coaching. Van Gundy was let go by ESPN in 2023 in a cost-cutting move.
That departure from broadcasting paved Van Gundy's path back to the bench. He first served as a consultant for the Boston Celtics before joining Lue's staff with the Clippers.
His previous head coaching experience includes leading the New York Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals and a stint with the Houston Rockets, which ended in 2007. The significant time away from a top coaching job was previously seen as a potential obstacle, but his work with the Clippers appears to have countered that criticism.
Under Lue, with Van Gundy as a key assistant, the Los Angeles Clippers exceeded preseason expectations this season. The team achieved 50 wins and secured the fifth seed in a competitive Western Conference, aided significantly by improvements on the defensive end, which Van Gundy reportedly oversaw.
As NBA coaching vacancies open, such as the ones with the Phoenix Suns or Memphis Grizzlies, figures around the league suggest Van Gundy is a candidate worthy of serious consideration after his successful return to coaching circles.
Speaking on NBA matters, Jeff's brother Stan Van Gundy, also a former NBA coach and analyst, recently participated in a TNT conference call discussing player movement, including Jimmy Butler's trade to the Golden State Warriors from the Miami Heat. Stan Van Gundy described the Butler move as a success for Golden State, highlighting how Butler fit with that team.
