The Van Gundy-Jackson tag team may be tapping right back into television.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News is reporting that legendary New York Knicks figure Walt Frazier, the team’s longtime TV color commentator on MSG Network, would like to cut back on his road game duties (Frazier turns 79 next season). Raissman adds that both Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson are among the figures being considered by MSG Network brass to fill in for Frazier during those road tilts.
Van Gundy and Jackson, who worked together on ESPN’s NBA broadcasts for over a decade, were both let go by the network this summer as a part of mass layoffs. The connection here is obvious though as their longtime ESPN broadcast partner, Mike Breen, also does the television play-by-play for the Knicks alongside Frazier. The personal connections with the organization are also there as Van Gundy coached the Knicks as an assistant from 1989-96 and then as their head coach from 1996-2001 (including for their NBA Finals berth in 1999). Meanwhile, Jackson was a Knicks draft pick who played for them from 1987-92 and again from 2001-02.
In recent months, there have been rumors that at least one of the two could return to coaching in the NBA. But getting both to reunite with Breen, even in only a part-time capacity on local broadcasts, would be a tremendous W for ratings and for basketball fans alike.
