Celtics Hire Prominent Former ESPN Broadcaster in Consultant Role
By Jeremiah Santos
(Photo : Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - Jeff Van Gundy attends a practice session during the USA Men's National Team training camp at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV as the team gets ready for the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup on August 03, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Boston Celtics by boosting head coach Joe Mazzulla's staff, enlisting the services of a notable figure with years of valuable experience.
The 17-time NBA Champions have hired renowned former ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy, who previously held head coaching posts with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets from 1996 to 2007.
Van Gundy has been appointed as a senior consultant, working within basketball operations, dividing his time between Boston and Maine, the G-League affiliate of the Celtics.
"Any time you get to add like high-character, high-level, professional people, I think it's a no-brainer and so fortunate enough that he's here, not just for the coaching staff, but for everybody," Mazzulla said about the hire.
The 61-year-old also played a significant role in Team USA basketball in recent years, serving as an assistant coach for the national team during the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
Van Gundy guided the Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals, ultimately losing to the San Antonio Spurs.
Van Gundy was part of ESPN's top broadcast team
Van Gundy was part of the broadcasting team for the last 17 NBA Finals, covering 97 games of the league's championship round until as part of their massive layoffs this year due to cost-cutting reasons.
Alongside Mike Breen and Mark Jackson, Van Gundy was also a regular commentator for prominent NBA regular season games on ESPN from 2007.
