If you became a fan of the LA Clippers in the last few months, you probably wouldn’t recognize the group that played the most games last season. The Clippers have added so many new faces to revamp 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 characterized by strong individual defenders and smart team players who are passionate about playing basketball successfully. The Clippers’ coaching staff may look similar to last season when compared to the player roster, but there’s a new and significant face on the sideline there too: Jeff Van Gundy.

Van Gundy was named to Tyronn Lue’s staff in June and was immediately named Lue’s defensive coordinator. After coaching at the professional level for 18 years from 1989 to 2007, Jeff turned his attention to broadcasting, where he was part of ESPN’s top game coverage team for 16 years. In the 2023/24 season he returned as a coach and became a senior advisor for the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics.

Now in his first year with the Clippers, Van Gundy has made an immediate impact. Many will dismiss the addition of an assistant coach, even a big name like JVG, as a minor addition to a team. But according to the words of several players and people close to the team, Jeff has been no small presence since joining Lue’s team.

During training camp, Ty told reporters that Van Gundy had already watched all 82 games of the Clippers’ 2023-24 regular season. When asked who would take on the role of vocal leader on this team, he even gave a surprising answer when he confidently said it would be Jeff. The praise for JVG was great and unbroken.

After the Clippers’ big win over the Warriors on Monday, Lue gave us another gem that showcased Van Gundy’s impact. Ty said during a press conference that Jeff took a personal interest in the Clippers’ defensive performance and that he was particularly hard on himself when they struggled. “He takes it personally,” Lue said. “Maybe he won’t come home at night. I have to check on him.”

Hearing things like this tells Clipper Nation everything it needs to know about Jeff Van Gundy. Clearly the man is dedicated to his craft. Someone who is only there to fulfill the stated requirements of their job and collect a paycheck would simply jot down a few notes after a poor team performance and come over the next day to help them improve. But true dedication is seen in hard workers like JVG who put their blood, sweat and tears into their work.

The most successful people are obsessive-compulsive and tend to take it personally when they make mistakes in their careers. This is why basketball culture idolizes Kobe Bryant so much. Van Gundy shows us that he is incredibly dedicated, and the Clippers are immeasurably better because of it.