Stories

Hoop Dreams

Former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy '85 recently returned to Nazareth to host a Coaches Clinic, a half-day workshop for high school basketball coaches, on Saturday, September 26, 2009.

After 11 successful seasons as an NBA head coach—seven with the New York Knicks and four with the Houston Rockets—Van Gundy has spent the last two years as lead NBA analyst for ESPN and ABC. Van Gundy's teams made nine playoff appearances and he led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference championship in 1999.

Kerry Van Malderghem '08G, of the office of alumni relations, spoke with Van Gundy about Nazareth, coaching, and his new role as an NBA analyst.

Q & A with Jeff Van Gundy

How did your involvement with the coaches clinic at Nazareth College come about?
You did a coaches clinic a couple of years ago. Are you looking to do something similar to what you did before?
When you do a clinic like this, does it ignite a desire to get back into coaching?
Does watching other coaches change your approach to coaching? Does that give you a different perspective?
What was it like calling the NBA finals and having your brother (Stan Van Gundy, coach of the NBA's Orlando Magic) in the finals? How do you separate that brother relationship that you two have?
Did you feel like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for you--calling it and coaching it?
What's your favorite part about being an analyst?
You mentioned your daughter plays basketball. What does being away from coaching enable you to do now?
What's your favorite Nazareth memory?
Is it true that the sisters of St. Joseph attended your basketball games?
Jeff Van Gundy

Former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy '85 now serves as the lead analyst for ESPN and ABC.

Did you know?

As a player at Nazareth for two seasons, Van Gundy ranks as the career record holder for free throw accuracy (86.8 percent). He was inducted into the Nazareth Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.