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The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Stan Van Gundy is going scorched earth on The Worldwide Leader … after the network unceremoniously dumped his little brother Jeff Van Gundy after nearly two decades with ESPN, and he’s PISSED!
Jeff — an NBA head coach for 11 seasons (Knicks, Rockets) — worked for ESPN for 17 years until he was laid off last summer.
JVG has largely been quiet about the shocking move … but, not so much for his brother Stan, who aired out his frustrations on Dan Le Batard‘s “South Beach Sessions” show.
“He was hurt by it, I mean he worked for them for 17 years,” Stan said. “And, it wasn’t even just the fact that they made the move, I mean they s*** on him.”
Stan — an NBA and college hoops commentator himself — continued, saying the timing of the firing made it impossible for Jeff to find other work.
“They waited until basically the NBA market, in terms of coaching jobs, assistants jobs, front office jobs, was already gone by to make the move, and then they delayed and delayed and delayed on a buyout that would free him to work for [other] people,” Stan said.
“I mean after 17 years of being in arguably, I don’t even know if arguably, being the best game broadcast booth in the business in basketball, and being the kind of person he is, ESPN s*** on him.”
“I felt awful for him.”
Jeff’s fans did, too … and were shocked that JVG, and his broadcast partner Mark Jackson, got the boot after all the years behind the mic.
In the wake of the big personnel shift, there was talk that the layoff was more about the NBA wanting Jeff gone, and not salary constraints at the network.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver denied those rumors.
Jeff Van Gundy is still without a job … as the current NBA season will soon wrap.