The Boston Celtics were Jeff Van Gundy’s lifeline. Van Gundy detailed what has been a very painful time in his life after he was fired by ESPN following 16 years as the network’s top NBA game analyst. The former Knicks coach, who was added to the Celtics staff in October, was dealing with personal tragedies … Read more
Stan Van Gundy has some hard feelings toward ESPN over the way that his brother, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, was laid off last year. Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson had been stalwart color commentators alongside venerable play-by-play broadcaster Mike Breen for many years at ESPN before Van Gundy was let go in … Read more
With Doc Rivers on the verge of potentially becoming the Bucks coach, his stay as one of the voices of the NBA Finals for ESPN may be over before it really started. It would be stinging for the network because one of the reasons ESPN, according to sources, let go of its longtime analysts, Jeff … Read more
NBA commissioner Adam Silver disputed the notion that the NBA has a heavy hand in broadcast partner personnel decisions. When ESPN layoffs this past summer included top analyst Jeff Van Gundy, rumors flew that the NBA league office did not enjoy his commentary and perhaps had input in the axing. Silver appeared on JJ Redick’s … Read more
Kenny Smith wants answers. Amid ESPN’s recent wave of layoffs, which included blowing up the long-standing NBA Finals broadcasting trio of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Marc Jackson, TNT’s “Inside the NBA” commentator wondered how the network could make such controversial changes. “I’m not really sure how they’re [ESPN] doing it. I’m not really … Read more
Andrew Marchand and John Ourand discussed the Pac-12 media deal on this week’s podcast. Host Andrew Marchand broke all the news about ESPN’s new NBA booth next season and on this week’s podcast he explains why ESPN let go of Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy. Host John Ourand broke news this week of NASCAR … Read more
Mike Breen called 15 NBA Finals with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. The trio were synonymous with the sport’s biggest event. But ESPN decided to end the broadcast team by firing Van Gundy in late June and Jackson on Monday. This has left Breen stunned and disappointed. “It’s sad because we really thought we … Read more
ESPN worried Jeff Van Gundy still had the coaching itch and could leave them high and dry. While the former Knicks coach shined as an NBA analyst for ESPN before being included in the company’s recent layoffs, top network executives worried Van Gundy could potentially leave his cushy television job to return to the sidelines, … Read more
J.J. Redick is the front-runner to join ESPN’s top NBA broadcasting team alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and game analyst Mark Jackson, according to Front Office Sports. Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson and Doc Rivers are also reportedly still in the mix for the job. The Post’s Andrew Marchand and Ryan Glasspiegel previously reported that Redick, Burke and … Read more
The “Mad Dog” has no shortage of theories about the recent wave of ESPN layoffs that have rocked the sports world. Chris Russo, who signed a one-year contract with ESPN earlier this year to continue appearing on “First Take,” believes the NBA league office — and commissioner Adam Silver, specifically — ordered the layoff of … Read more
Stephen A. Smith has addressed the layoffs at ESPN. Days after ESPN let go of around 20 on-air talents as the network has been undergoing several rounds of cost cuts, Smith discussed the matter Monday on his FanDuel show. “ESPN laid off about 20 members of its on-air talent … friends of mine, actually, definitely … Read more
NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy was laid off by ESPN on Friday, and the basketball world has thoughts. Van Gundy, 61, had been with the Worldwide Leader for 16 years, calling the NBA Finals with Mike Breen and Mark Jackson as part of the lead broadcasting team. The former Knicks head coach had been regarded … Read more