Jeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is a former
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
head coachA head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. He coached most recently with the
National Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Van Gundy attended
Yale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
before transferring to
Menlo CollegeMenlo College, often referred to as Menlo, is a private, four-year baccalaureate college specializing in business located in the Silicon Valley town of Atherton, California.-Campus:...
and ultimately graduated from New York's
Nazareth CollegeNazareth College of Rochester, NY, is a private liberal arts college in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester.-History:Nazareth was founded in 1924 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The first class, comprising 25 young women, began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New...
in 1985.
Early life
Van Gundy was born in
Hemet, CaliforniaHemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California, United States. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 78,657 at the 2010 census....
.He grew up in the town of Brockport N.Y. He was the son of a basketball coach,
Bill Van GundyBill Van Gundy is a former American college basketball coach, most notable for being the father of Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy, both of whom have served as head coaches in the National Basketball Association. Among other jobs, Bill Van Gundy held the position of head coach at Brockport...
, the former head coach at Brockport State University in
Western New YorkWestern New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
. His older brother
Stan Van GundyStanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley...
is the current head coach of the NBA's
Orlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
.
Career
Van Gundy began his basketball coaching career during the 1985-86 season at
McQuaid Jesuit High SchoolMcQuaid Jesuit High School is an all-male, Jesuit college preparatory high school located in Rochester, New York, USA. Named after Bernard J. McQuaid, the first bishop of the Rochester diocese, McQuaid is located at 1800 Clinton Avenue South, in the suburb of Brighton.McQuaid was founded in 1954 in...
in
Rochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. The following year he became a graduate assistant under
Rick PitinoRick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
at
Providence CollegeProvidence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
, helping the
Providence FriarsThe Providence Friars men's basketball team represents Providence College in NCAA Division I competition, in which they are a founding member of the Big East Conference. They play their home games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island...
advance to the Final Four. In his second season with the Friars he was promoted to assistant coach under
Gordon ChiesaGordon Chiesa is an assistant basketball coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. From 1989 to 2004, he served as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz. He coached as an assistant coach at Dartmouth from 1979 to 1981. From 1981 to 1985, he served as the head coach at Manhattan. In 1983, he was named the...
. The next season, Van Gundy became an assistant coach under
Bob WenzelBob Wenzel is a former American college basketball coach and a current broadcaster for ESPN, the Big East Network, and CBS Sports.-College playing/Coaching career:...
at
RutgersThe Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Basketball team represents Rutgers University and is a NCAA Division I college basketball team, which competes in the Big East Conference...
.
On July 28, 1989, Jeff Van Gundy became assistant coach for the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The next six-and-a-half seasons were spent providing support to Knicks coaches
Stu JacksonStuart Wayne Jackson is an American former head coach and current executive in the National Basketball Association. He has coached two different NBA teams: the New York Knicks in 1990 and 1991, and the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997; he also has served as the Grizzlies' general manager...
(1989-1990), John MacLeod (1990-1991),
Pat RileyPatrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
(1991-1995) and
Don NelsonDonald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
(1995-1996). During his tenure as an assistant coach the Knicks won three
Atlantic DivisionThe Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors...
titles, never finished lower than third in the division, and qualified for the playoffs in every year. The Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1993 and the
NBA FinalsThe 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....
versus the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in 1994.
Van Gundy was the head coach of the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
from March 8, 1996 until his resignation on December 8, 2001. He led the team to the playoffs six times, including their
CinderellaIn American and Canadian sports, a Cinderella or "Cinderella Story" refers to a team or player who advances much further in a tournament or career than originally anticipated. Cinderellas tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the championship game at the end of the...
run to the
1999 NBA FinalsThe 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage...
. At the time of his resignation the Knicks had a winning record; under his successor
Don ChaneyDonald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
the team collapsed, losing 43 of their remaining 63 games, and failed to make the playoffs.
Van Gundy was hired as head coach of the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in 2003. On May 18, 2007, Van Gundy was fired from that position after the team's seven-game, first-round playoff loss to the
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Later that night, Van Gundy was a guest analyst for
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's broadcast of the
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
-
San Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
game in
San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and has since helped cover the playoffs for ESPN in the broadcast booth.
On May 12, 2009, on ESPN writer
Bill SimmonsWilliam J. "Bill" Simmons III is a sports columnist, author, and podcaster. He currently writes columns and hosts podcasts for Grantland.com, which is affiliated with ESPN.com. He is a former writer for ESPN The Magazine and Jimmy Kimmel Live!...
' podcast, Van Gundy expressed his desire to eventually return to coaching, stating he would consider being an assistant coach.
Coaching record
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NYKThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
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|23||13||10||.565|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||8||4||4||.500
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||57||25||.695|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||10||6||4||.600
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||43||39||.524|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||10||4||6||.400
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|50||27||23||.540|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||20||12||8||.600
| align="center" |Lost in
NBA FinalsThe 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||50||32||.610|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||16||9||7||.563
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. FinalsThe 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||48||34||.585|| align="center" |3rd in Atlantic||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|19||10||9||.526|| align="center" |(resigned)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-
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HOUThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| align="left" |
|82||45||37||.540|| align="center" |5th in Midwest||5||1||4||.200
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
|-
| align="left" |HOU
| align="left" |
|82||51||31||.610|| align="center" |3rd in Southwest||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
|-
| align="left" |HOU
| align="left" |
|82||34||48||.415|| align="center" |5th in Southwest||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |HOU
| align="left" |
|82||52||30||.634|| align="center" |3rd in Southwest||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
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Career
| ||748||430||318||.575|| ||88||44||44||.500
Other information
Van Gundy created a memorable scene in the
1998 NBA PlayoffsThe 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
series between the New York Knicks and the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. When the Heat's 6'10", 240-pound center
Alonzo MourningAlonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
and the Knicks' 6'6", 250-pound forward Larry Johnson engaged in a violent, bench-clearing brawl, Van Gundy unsuccessfully tried to break the fight up. Most memorably, the 5'9", 150-pound Van Gundy fell to the floor and clung to Mourning's leg.
In a 2001 game between the Spurs and Knicks,
Danny FerryDaniel John Willard "Danny" Ferry is a retired American professional basketball player and the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association...
elbowed
Marcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
. While talking to the referee, Camby lost control and tried to punch Ferry. He missed and hit Van Gundy instead.
In May 2005, Van Gundy was fined $100,000 by the NBA for accusing referees of targeting Houston Rockets center
Yao MingYao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
. Van Gundy blamed
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
owner
Mark CubanMark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
for causing the referees' alleged bias. This is the largest fine handed down to a coach in NBA history.
Jeff Van Gundy is an executive board member of Pro-Vision, a non-profit organization in Houston that provides educational, job-training, and mentoring services to boys aged 10-18.
On May 8, 2011, Van Gundy received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from his alma mater,
Nazareth CollegeNazareth College of Rochester, NY, is a private liberal arts college in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester.-History:Nazareth was founded in 1924 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The first class, comprising 25 young women, began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New...
during the colleges 84th Annual Commencement Ceremony.
External links