Are Stan Van Gundy & Jeff Van Gundy related? Looking at relationship between 2 NBA personalities

Stan Van Gundy & Jeff Van Gundy are renowned figures in the NBA, recognized for their versatile roles as both coaches and game analysts. Given their surnames, it's natural for people to wonder about potential connections between them.

And indeed, the two are brothers. Raised in the town of Hemet, California, they shared a deep passion for the game from an early age, as their father, Bill Van Gundy, was a respected basketball coach himself.

Stan, the older Van Gundy, began his NBA coaching career as an assistant with the Miami Heat.

Following his tenure as an assistant under Pat Riley, Stan assumed the role of head coach when Riley suddenly stepped down before the 2003-04 season. Van Gundy inherited a team that only won 25 games the season before and helped them reach a 42-win season in his first year.

However, on Dec. 12, 2005, just 21 games into the season, Van Gundy made the decision to resign from his position as head coach, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Riley took over as head coach and led Miami to secure its first championship in the same season.

Stan’s most recent coaching gig was for the New Orleans Pelicans. Prior to this, he helmed the Orlando Magic from 2007 to 2012, leading them to the 2009 NBA Finals, and was head coach and president of basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons from 2014 to 2018.

Stan was 554-425 in his coaching career.

Jeff, the younger of the two, embarked on his coaching journey in the 1980s after a brief playing career. His most iconic coaching gig tenure came in 1996 as he became the head coach of the New York Knicks until 2001.

During his time as a high school point guard, Jeff was a two-time All Greater Rochester awardee in 1979 and 1980. After moving to Nazareth University, he earned All-American honors and guided the Golden Flyers to an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 1984. He still holds the record at Nazareth for career free-throw percentage with 86.8%.

On July 28, 1989, Jeff assumed the role of an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, a position he held for the following six-and-a-half seasons.

Then, on March 8, 1996, he was appointed as the head coach of the Knicks, succeeding Don Nelson. Under him, the eighth-seeded Knicks made a surprising run to the finals in the 1998-99 season. They were defeated in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

Just 19 games into the 2001–02 season, Jeff chose to step down from his position.

On June 10, 2003, Jeff took on the role of head coach for the Houston Rockets. During his tenure, three out of his four years with the Rockets resulted in winning seasons. However, despite their strong regular-season performances, the Rockets failed to make a significant impact in the playoffs.

During his tenure as a head coach, Jeff was 430-318. His teams made it to the playoffs nine times.

---

Where are Stan Van Gundy & Jeff Van Gundy now?

After his departure from the Houston Rockets in 2007, Jeff Van Gundy transitioned into a guest analyst role for ESPN. Working alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and Mark Jackson, Jeff provided color commentary for various games, including the NBA Finals. In June 2023, he was let go by ESPN as part of a cost-cutting measure.

He was recently hired by the Boston Celtics as a senior consultant

Meanwhile, Stan Van Gundy has transitioned into a career as a television commentator.

He can be seen providing commentary for NBA games on TNT and contributing to the coverage of College Basketball on CBS.