After he emerged as one of the most notable names that were subjected to ESPN’s massive cost-cutting layoffs, Jeff Van Gundy is reportedly ready to reignite his passion for coaching once again.
Sources told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated that Van Gundy is now looking to make a comeback on the league sidelines and become a coach once again in the wake of the media company’s release of him.
Van Gundy started his coaching tenure in the NBA as an assistant for the New York Knicks. After seven years, his role upgraded as he accepted the team’s head coaching position following Pat Riley’s controversial exit from the Miami Heat.
Van Gundy continued the Knicks’ playoff success in his five years in service. His leadership on the club’s Cinderella Run en route to an NBA Finals finish last 1998-99 served as the most outstanding accomplishment of his coaching career.
Following New York, he filled the Houston Rockets’ coaching seat for four years. After he was dismissed by the team, he then started his broadcasting career as a color commentator and analyst for ESPN alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and former player Mark Jackson.
Van Gundy, who holds a 430-318 regular season head coaching record (.575% win rate) for 11 years, was recently tagged as an assistant coaching interest for the Dallas Mavericks. His brother, Stan, is also a former head coach who now calls as an analyst for TNT’s NBA broadcast games.
