Former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who joined ESPN during the 2007 NBA Playoffs and provided game analysis for the entire 2007-08 season, has agreed to an exclusive multi-year agreement with the network.  Van Gundy will continue to provide analysis alongside play-by-play commentator Mike Breen and analyst Mark Jackson as the lead commentary team for games on ESPN and ABC – the home of the NBA Finals.

"It was a very difficult decision to forego coaching for the next five years, but I enjoyed myself so much last year working with Mike (Breen) and Mark (Jackson), that I decided to make this long-term commitment to broadcasting with ESPN," said Jeff Van Gundy.

Norby Williamson, executive vice president, production, said, “We’re thrilled Jeff has decided to focus on broadcasting.  Our team of Mike, Mark and Jeff has great chemistry and offers diverse perspectives, which makes every broadcast unique.”

Van Gundy last coached in the NBA during the 2006-07 season, guiding the Houston Rockets to a 52-30 record – the team’s best mark since 1997 – despite a lengthy injury sustained by perennial All-Star Yao Ming.  Van Gundy’s Rockets lost in the final game of a best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

Van Gundy was the head coach of the Houston Rockets for four seasons from 2004-07, leading the team to a 182-146 record.  He previously was head coach of the New York Knicks from 1995-2001, when his team won 248 games and made the playoffs six times (including an NBA Finals appearance in 1999).  Van Gundy was an NBA analyst with Turner Sports during the 2002-03 season.

Prior to his NBA coaching experience, Van Gundy was an assistant coach at Rutgers and Providence.  He graduated from Nazareth College in 1985.

Source: ESPN

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

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