Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were two-thirds of the ESPN broadcasting team that called the NBA Finals in June.
By July, both were no longer with the company, with the former being laid off and the latter leaving after reportedly refusing to be demoted.
As for where the longtime NBA analysts might end up next, that’s been the subject of a lot of speculation. Some have said Van Gundy wanted to return to coaching while there have been reports that any new player in the NBA media rights battle might want to hire him.
In the meantime, it sounds like both Van Gundy and Jackson might be picking up some part-time work.
According to Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News, 78-year-old Walt Frazier has said he’d like to cut back on his work as a TV analyst for New York Knicks road games on MSG Network. Raissman says that MSGN is looking into several potential road-game replacements, including Van Gundy and Jackson.
The irony of the move would be that the two analysts would be working alongside announcer Mike Breen, who was their partner on ESPN before they were both shuffled loose.
“Watching both Jax and JVG, in a combo or singularly, reunite with their former ESPN partner Mike Breen, would not only be great TV but tremendous theater as well,” said Raissman.
Breen would obviously love the opportunity to work with one or both of them again.
“It’s sad because we really thought we had something special and that’s going to be the thought going forward is that we were able to do it a lot longer than anybody ever did,” Breen told Andrew Marchand in August. “It’s something we’ll all treasure, but we just wish it was a little bit longer.”
Perhaps he’ll get his wish.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.