Stan Van Gundy has agreed to a multiyear deal with the New Orleans Pelicans to become the franchise’s next head coach.
What We Know:
- Van Gundy announced the news Wednesday on Twitter. “I’m excited to join a talented New Orleans Pelicans team. It will be an honor to work with our players and to work for Mrs. Benson and David Griffin, Trajan Langdon, their staff and the great people of New Orleans. I can’t wait to talk to our players and get the process started.”
- New Orleans reportedly loved Van Gundy’s reputation as a teacher and a defensively focused coach for their young core. Van Gundy has coached for 11 seasons and his teams have finished top ten in defensive rating for eight of those seasons.
- Van Gundy’s most recent coaching stop in Detroit may have left a slight stain on his reputation. His Pistons teams struggled to rise above mediocrity, but his coaching was not entirely to blame. The Detroit roster has never been exceptional and he juggled multiple roles in the organization as head coach and team president. He helped the Pistons reach the playoffs in 2016 after several years in the lottery.
- Van Gundy has also coached for the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic, where he had great success. He made multiple Conference Finals trips with both Florida teams and led Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals where they lost to the LA Lakers. Van Gundy has a winning record in the regular season and in the playoffs.
- The Pelicans struggled in the restart, but have an exciting roster for the future. The team features last year’s No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson and Most Improved Player Award winner Brandon Ingram, as well as Lonzo Ball and Jaxson Hayes. The team also has a veteran presence with All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday and sharpshooter JJ Redick, the latter of whom played for Van Gundy with the Magic.
The Pelicans dismissed former head coach Alvin Gentry at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Stan Van Gundy has spent the last couple of seasons as a commentator for the NBA on TNT.
