Stan Van Gundy is entering the next phase of his career.
The former Magic and Pistons coach is transitioning from the studio to the booth, where he will be the game analyst for TNT’s new Tuesday night package alongside play-by-play man Ian Eagle. The chance to call games was “one of the biggest reasons” why the 60-year-old left ESPN, where brother Jeff works, for Turner this past offseason in what could turn out to be one of the more significant media moves of 2019.
“There’s nothing better than being in the arena and at a game,” Van Gundy said. “The storyline is right in front of you. When you are in the studio you can be going about multiple things, while at the game it will be a little bit more defined. The challenge is to communicate some useful information, give some analysis, some depth to what’s going on as concisely as possible.”
The elder Van Gundy brother has only called one NBA game in his life and some college. He’s watched games recently through a different lens, no longer viewing the game as a coach.
“So, lately I’ve been trying to watch Jeff’s broadcasts and others and tune into how they operate and learn from that,” said Van Gundy, whose first game is a Los Angeles showdown between the Lakers and Clippers on Tuesday.
“[Jeff’s] advice has been, be yourself, don’t overthink it and don’t talk if you don’t have anything to say. Don’t feel like you have to say something on every play. Only talk if you see something and can point it out. And have some fun.”
Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Van GundyAP (2)The new role comes during one of the more scrutinized times of the NBA season with the trade deadline two weeks away. Van Gundy circled the 76ers as the team he felt needed to be aggressive with a move before Feb. 6. The Sixers, led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, have the potential to be the biggest threat to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference if they fill one glaring need.
“I don’t think anything we’ve seen in the first half of the season, outside of one game on Christmas Day, would indicate that Philly is at the level of Milwaukee,” Van Gundy said. “They have glaring needs in terms of another offensive perimeter player who can make plays and shots. Obviously, they are missing Jimmy Butler, but they really miss JJ Redick. They need a guy like that who moves offensively and can make shots, puts a different kind of pressure on the defense.”
Van Gundy was fired by the Pistons after the 2018 season from his role as both coach and president of the team. He was noncommittal about his future, happy to be focused on his new responsibilities at the cable network. Jeff has flirted with the idea of returning to the sidelines after stints with the Knicks and Rockets, but has now been part of the lead broadcast team at ESPN since 2007.
Could Stan also be in broadcasting for the long term?
“I don’t really have an answer for that right now,” he said. “One of the things I’ve always done, and I am trying to do now, I don’t really worry about what’s next or anything else.
“I try to be as good as I can at what I am doing and throw myself into that job. I am trying to work hard at being better as I go on and try to learn. My focus is on doing this job as well as I can.”
