If you just became a fan of the LA Clippers in the last few months, you probably would not recognize the group that took the floor most games during last season. The Clippers added so many new faces to overhaul their roster following Paul George's offseason departure that they practically look like a brand new team in 2024-25.
The group that now represents LA is marked by strong individual defenders and smart team players bought into playing winning basketball. The Clippers' coaching staff may look similar to last season compared to the roster of players, but there is one new and significant face roaming the sidelines there as well: Jeff Van Gundy.
Brought on to Tyronn Lue's staff in June, Van Gundy was immediately appointed as Lue's defensive coordinator. After spending 18 years of coaching at the professional level from 1989 until 2007, Jeff turned to the broadcasting side of things where he was on ESPN's top game coverage crew for 16 years. In 2023-24, he returned to coaching when he became a senior consultant for the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics.
Now, in his first year with the Clippers, Van Gundy has been making an immediate and significant impact. Many will dismiss the addition of an assistant coach, even a big name like JVG, as a minor addition to a team. But based on the words of several players and people close to the team, Jeff has been no small presence since he joined Lue's staff.
Ty Lue says Jeff Van Gundy takes it personal when the Clippers struggle defensively.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) November 19, 2024
Lue: “He takes it personal. He might not go home at night. I gotta check on him.”
Van Gundy "takes it personal" when Clippers struggle on defense
During training camp, Ty shared with reporters that Van Gundy had already watched all 82 games of the Clippers' regular season from 2023-24. He even gave a surprising answer when asked who would fill the role of the vocal leader on this team when he said with confidence that it would be Jeff. The praise has been high and unwavering for JVG.
After the Clippers' big win over the Warriors on Monday, Lue gave us another gem that spoke to Van Gundy's impact. Ty said during a press conference that Jeff takes a personal interest in the Clippers' performances on defense, and that he is particularly hard on himself when they struggle. "He takes it personal," said Lue. "He might not go home at night. I gotta check on him.”
Hearing things like this tells Clipper nation all they need to know about Jeff Van Gundy. Clearly, the man is dedicated to his craft. Someone who is just there to do the stated requirements for their job and collect a paycheck would simply write down some notes after a bad team performance and come in the next day ready to help them improve. But true commitment shows in hard workers like JVG who pour their blood, sweat and tears into their work.
The most successful people are obsessive and choose to take it personally when they have failings in their profession. It is the reason why basketball culture idolizes Kobe Bryant so heavily. Van Gundy is showing us that he is unbelievably locked in, and the Clippers are immeasurably better because of it.