In place as a commentator for sixteen years, Jeff Van Gundy has just been kicked out of ESPNcollateral victim of a drastic budget cut by the sports channel which wants to save tens of millions of dollars!
His duet with Mike Breen, then trio with Mark Jackson, was one of the classics of the genre, with around a hundred Finals matches commented on. With his technical analyzes always on point, embellished with anecdotes from his immense coaching career with the Knicks and the Rockets in particular, Van Gundy also brought a dose of caustic and distance from NBA show business.
ESPN in crisis
Often critical of certain decisions of the authorities, Van Gundy will be missed for his outspokenness, vis-à-vis the arbitration for example. For his succession, we can imagine JJ Redick (who, in addition to his podcast, took an important place by consulting the channel from his first season), Doris Burke or Richard Jefferson. Or why not a return to the microphone of Doc Rivers, for the first time without a coaching job since 1999!
Another victim of the drastic cuts at ESPN, Jalen Rose. The former member of the “Fab Five” received three million dollars a year for the NBA Countdown show.
