STAN Van Gundy expressed his displeasure with ESPN firing his brother Jeff.
Jeff Van Gundy was a renowned color commentator for ESPN before being relieved of his duties in a massive wave of layoffs.
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Stan, who comments for TNT now after leaving ESPN, criticized his former network on the South Beach Sessions podcast.
“He was hurt by it, I mean he worked for them for 17 years,” he said.
“And it wasn’t just the fact that they made the change, I mean, they fucked him up.
“The timing was horrible. They waited until basically the NBA market in terms of coaching, assistant and front office jobs was gone to make the change.
“And then they delayed and delayed and delayed an acquisition that would free him to work for [other] people.
“I mean, after 17 years of arguably… the best game broadcast booth in the basketball business, and being the type of person he is, ESPN is with him.”
There are rumors that the NBA asked Jeff to be removed from broadcasts, but commissioner Adam Silver denies these allegations.
Stan said he wasn’t upset about Jeff being fired, but about how ESPN treated him upon leaving.
“These things happen in business, we’ve all been there,” he said.
“We got fired and everything, but there are ways to do it and ways not to do it.
“I thought ESPN was absolutely unhappy with him after what he gave them for 17 years.”
Dan Le Batard, the podcast’s host, said that Jeff may be unhappy that his brother destroyed ESPN, which Stan said was correct.
“My brother wouldn’t be happy if I said that, but that’s what happened and that’s what I’m going to say,” he said.
“And you know what, I don’t think anyone who knows the situation would disagree with me.”
Jeff Van Gundy has been replaced by Doc Rivers and Doris Burke on ESPN’s top NBA team.
Rivers later left the team to coach the Milwaukee Bucks and JJ Redick took over his position.
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