The CUSP Show
The CUSP Show
The CUSP Show
530: Former NBA Head Coach Stan Van Gundy on Leadership & Coachability in the Modern Era of Basketball
59 minutes Posted Sep 15, 2026 at 2:38 pm.
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Show notes

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Stan Van Gundy, former NBA head coach with 554 career wins who led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, to discuss leadership, coachability, the state of college athletics, and his transition from the bench to the broadcast booth. Van Gundy shared why he believes college presidents, not players or coaches, are responsible for letting money overwhelm the educational mission of college sports. He also shares candid thoughts on the transfer portal, NIL, and why the best coaches in the country are walking away from college athletics because building a real program is no longer possible. The conversation shifts to the NBA, where Van Gundy argues that professional players are actually more coachable than college athletes, explains what separates the truly elite from the merely talented, and shares the story of working alongside JJ Redick long before anyone imagined he would become a head coach. He also reflects on the WNBA’s moment, praising the quality of play while also calling out the league’s failure to control its own narrative.

Learn more about Stan: https://press.amazonmgmstudios.com/us/en/cast/stan-van-gundy/331

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The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz and Sydney Cristall.



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