Jeff Van Gundy is back on the NBA coaching staff.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Van Gundy has signed a deal to become a lead assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers and join head coach Tyronn Lue’s staff. Van Gundy and Lue have been friends since working together on the USA Basketball staff several years ago.
This is the 62-year-old Van Gundy’s first NBA coaching job since 2007. He had spent the past 17 years coaching the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks, then took a broadcasting job at ESPN after being fired by the Rockets.
It fit perfectly. Van Gundy thrived at ESPN, combining wit and humor with his keen intellect for the game. According to Woj, Van Gundy is considered one of the “finest minds in basketball,” and spent his 16-year career at ESPN fending off numerous offers from teams trying to get him back as coach.
Those teams had their best chance last year, when Van Gundy was fired from ESPN in June 2023. He didn’t jump into another broadcast job, preferring to dip a toe back into the NBA by taking a job as a senior consultant with Boston. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
It worked quite well. The Celtics dominated the Dallas Mavericks on Monday evening and became NBA champions. Less than 12 hours later, Van Gundy is back in the coaching game.
