Many NBA fans nowadays may forget that ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy had many stops before getting to ESPN. Van Gundy was a longtime coach for the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before moving to the booth.
It was his time coaching for the Knicks that actually propelled his broadcasting career in a way. Marv Albert was apart of the broadcasting team at MSG from 1967-2004, and helped push for Van Gundy’s first broadcasting job alongside him at TNT when Van Gundy’s time with the Knicks was over.
Van Gundy talked about his time with Albert on the Marchand and Ourand Podcast yesterday and discussed how it helped his career.
“I did [NBA broadcasting] once between when I ended with the Knicks and started with the Rockets, I went on TNT for a year and Marv Albert really pushed for that,” said Van Gundy.“And so I worked with he and Mike Fratello. The crazy thing, even though Marv did our games [with the Knicks], it wasn’t like we spoke often. He was one of the old-school guys who wanted to keep a healthy distance between team and broadcaster so that he could remain objective.
“When we did [speak], it was a little contentious. And then to find out that he actually pushed for me when we really didn’t have any great relationship or anything, it really meant a lot to me. And I learned so much with him and Mike Fratello.”
Van Gundy said that while he was the Knicks coach, he didn’t appreciate Albert’s objectivity and wanted more of a homer.
“The thing I didn’t understand is, and now I do, is that you just have to say what you think in those jobs, and you can’t be worried about how it’s gonna be received. You have to try to be fair and direct and that’s what he was as a Knicks broadcaster. And I thought there was an anti-Knicks bias at times, and an anti-Ewing bias, and a pro-Jordan, pro-Bulls bias.”