Basketball world shocked by ESPN ditching Jeff Van Gundy: ‘Firing everyone’
NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy was laid off by ESPN on Friday, and the basketball world has thoughts.
The 61-year-old Van Gundy had been with the Worldwide Leader for 16 years, calling the NBA Finals with Mike Breen and Mark Jackson as part of the lead broadcasting team.
The former Knicks head coach is regarded as one of the best game analysts in NBA history, but was let go in a cost-cutting effort by the company that is expected to result in around 20 on-air personalities being let go.
Everything to know about ESPN Layoffs
On Friday, ESPN began the latest round of its layoffs, with several big names among the 20 or so on-air personalities being let go.
Network stalwarts Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Matt Hasselbeck, Steve Young and Todd McShay were some of the biggest names let go of by ESPN.
- ESPN laying off around 20 on-air stars
- Basketball world shocked by ESPN ditching Jeff Van Gundy
- Suzy Kolber let go after 27 years at ESPN
It marked the third round of layoffs by the “Worldwide Leader,” with the previous two focusing on behind-the-scenes workers.
The massive layoffs come as part of mandates from parent company Disney, which announced earlier this year that around 7,000 jobs would be eliminated.
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“Head scratcher,” Fox Sports 1 sports show host Colin Cowherd tweeted after the news. “Love JVG.”
Van Gundy was widely renowned for his basketball intuition and unique insight on the game.
“The best NBA game analyst by a mile,” The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo tweeted.
“Not a fan of this change,” Keith Smith, a popular NBA Twitter personality and Spotrac contributor, said.
“VG is a curmudgeon on the broadcasts, but a loveable one. And he’s one of the best analysts of what’s happening in real time that does game broadcasts. This is a bummer.”
Some of the other big names laid off included: Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, and Jalen Rose, which surprised many in the media world.
“ESPN’s business is tanking and they are going to be firing many of their highest paid talents today,” Outkick’s Clay Travis said in a tweet. “Jeff Van Gundy was really good on games in my opinion.”
“WTAF,” said longtime NBA columnist Howard Beck.
“Is ESPN firing everyone???” Barstool Sports’ Dan Katz said. “What the hell is going on over there.”