"I got fired from ESPN, my sister-in-law tragically passed away": Jeff Van Gundy's candid account of last year's traumatic experience
Last year, most basketball fans were shocked by ESPN’s move to fire Jeff Van Gundy after 16 years with the network. The iconic run of Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Mike Breen as a trio ended in June 2023 after 15 NBA Finals appearances. Breen was retained by the company but the said former coaches have moved on.
While Van Gundy’s firing was the headliner, the former New York Knicks coach also dealt with some painful issues behind the scenes. Here’s what he had to say on “The Mark Jackson Show:”
“I got fired from ESPN on June 30, and then my youngest son went to school in August so we became empty nesters. Then my sister-in-law tragically passed away in the middle of August as well. Then, my best friend in Houston contracted cancer, and he died this spring.”
The sister-in-law that Jeff Van Gundy referred to was the wife of his elder brother Stan Van Gundy, also a former longtime coach in the NBA. Last month, the older Van Gundy admitted that suicide was the reason for the death of Kimberly Van Gundy, his wife for 35 years.
The brothers have largely kept mum about how Kim died until this year. Still, both remain devastated by her passing away.
Jeff Van Gundy credits the Boston Celtics for giving him a lifeline
Before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season, the Boston Celtics announced that they had signed Jeff Van Gundy as senior consultant of basketball operations. The news added that he would be working closely with Brad Stevens, the man who runs the franchise’s basketball operations.
Here’s what Van Gundy had to say regarding his work with the Eastern Conference champs:
"Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla threw me a lifeline and everybody on that coaching staff has welcomed me with open arms. … After this summer, I was not in a great place and I'll always and forever be appreciative of what the Celtics, Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and that coaching staff have done for me."
As head coach of the New York Knicks (1996-2001) and the Houston Rockets (2003-2007), Jeff Van Gundy has not won the NBA championship. He is now one win away from checking that box on his list of basketball accomplishments as the Boston Celtics hold a 3-1 lead in the finals.
Roughly a year ago, Van Gundy was in a rough spot but he trudged on with help from family, friends and the Celtics. Whether the team wins the championship or not, the coach is already a winner in the eyes of most people.