Legendary Former Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy A Frontrunner for NBA Head Coach Opening

May 21, 2026 ,


After a couple of decades out of the coaching business, former New York Knicks legendary coach Jeff Van Gundy made his way back in the past couple of seasons, as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Now, a breaking report says he has vaulted to the forefront as one of the frontrunners for the head coaching vacancy for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers have requested permission from the Clippers to meet with the 64-year-old Van Gundy, says the report from Chris Haynes. Tiago Splitter served as the interim head coach this past season, but Portland is actively conducting a coaching search and exploring other external candidates for the permanent job.

Van Gundy posted an excellent 430-318 record in his 11 years as head coach of the Knicks and the Houston Rockets, back in the '90s and early 2000s. He took the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999. 

After coaching the Rockets until 2007, he went on to an extremely successful stint as a commentator on ABC and TNT games. 

But perhaps JVG is best known for the infamous Knicks/Heat brawl in 1998, when he was at the bottom of the pile, grabbing hold of Alonzo Mourning's leg with everything he had.

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