Jeff Van Gundy joins Celtics as a senior consultant

Jeff Van Gundy has joined the Boston Celtics’ teaching employees as a senior guide, in keeping with the team’s website. He’ll work with the group all through the 2023-24 season and can spend time in each Boston and Maine.

The Celtics’ choice to herald Van Gundy comes after a summer time of revamping Joe Mazzulla’s group of assistant coaches. Sam Cassell, Charles Lee, Phil Pressey, and Amile Jefferson are a number of notable new faces on Boston’s bench.

At Saturday’s apply, Mazzulla mentioned what the longtime head coach will be capable of usher in his new position with the Cs.

“Any time you get so as to add like excessive character, excessive stage, skilled individuals, I feel it’s a no brainer and so lucky sufficient that he’s right here, not only for the teaching employees, however for everyone,” Mazzulla informed reporters (h/t CLNS Media).

He went on so as to add that Van Gundy’s perspective as an outsider is one thing that he hopes may also help him and his employees.

“It’s good to get a man who hasn’t been right here earlier than that may type of have an unbiased opinion as to the place he thinks issues are and the place they should go. And so, he’s type of like a contemporary set of eyes … he’s taking a look at it from an unbiased place.”

Van Gundy had spent the previous 16 years working for ESPN as a part of their NBA broadcast crew. The 61-year-old was part of the Worldwide Chief’s “A-team” alongside Mike Breen and Mark Jackson. His time with the corporate got here to an finish this summer time as a part of an extended listing of layoffs, together with the likes of Jackson and Jalen Rose.

Although he was typically electrical on the mic, the Cs introduced in Van Gundy as a consequence of his expertise as an NBA head coach, a task he served eleven seasons in for each the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. Plus, he has a way for a way troublesome it may be to be calling the pictures at such a younger age.

He and Mazzulla every received their first head teaching jobs within the league after they have been 34 years outdated.