Jeff Van Gundy
Head coach of the Houston Rockets from 2003 to 2007, leading Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.
Jeff Van Gundy was named head coach of the Houston Rockets on June 10, 2003, replacing Rudy Tomjanovich. In his first season, the Rockets finished 45–37 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in five years, though they were eliminated in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers. His tenure was defined by the star duo of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, but injuries and early playoff exits marked his time in Houston.
- Role
- Head Coach
- Affiliation
- Houston Rockets (2003–2007)
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Lore & Background
Van Gundy's second season with the Rockets saw the team go 51–31, their first 50-win season since 1996–97, but they again lost in the first round, this time to the Dallas Mavericks. The 2005–06 season was derailed by injuries: Yao and McGrady missed a combined 70 games, and Van Gundy missed the playoffs for the first time as an NBA head coach. In May 2005, he was fined $100,000 by the NBA for accusing referees of targeting Yao Ming, blaming Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for alleged bias—the largest fine ever handed to a coach. The following season, injuries limited Yao to 48 games and McGrady was not fully recovered; a late-season run ended with another first-round loss to the Utah Jazz in Game 7. Van Gundy was fired after that loss and replaced by Rick Adelman.
In Their Own Story
The 2005–06 season was a grind. With Yao and McGrady sidelined for a combined 70 games, Van Gundy had to patch together lineups night after night. The Rockets missed the playoffs, and the frustration boiled over when Van Gundy was hit with a record $100,000 fine for calling out referees over Yao's treatment. The next year, despite a late surge from McGrady, the Rockets fell in a decisive Game 7 to the Jazz. Van Gundy was fired soon after, ending his four-year run in Houston.
Reader's Guide
He led the team to the playoffs three times, but never advanced past the first round. His tenure was marked by the pairing of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, but persistent injuries kept the team from reaching its potential. Van Gundy's most notable moment off the court was his $100,000 fine in 2005 for criticizing referee bias against Yao. He was fired after a Game 7 loss to the Jazz in 2007.
Did You Know?
- Van Gundy was fined $100,000 in May 2005 for accusing referees of targeting Yao Ming—the largest fine ever given to an NBA coach.
- In his first season with the Rockets (2003–04), the team made the playoffs for the first time in five years.
- Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady missed a combined 70 games due to injury during the 2005–06 season.
- Van Gundy was fired after a Game 7 loss to the Utah Jazz in the 2007 playoffs.
- He was replaced as Rockets head coach by Rick Adelman.
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