‘What the hell’: ESPN’s ruthless firing spree as iconic NBA caller axed

ESPN is shedding a few of its largest stars, together with Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, and Jalen Rose, in a purge that’s anticipated to end in round 20 on-air personalities being let go Friday because the community hopes to avoid wasting tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.

ESPN knowledgeable all of its workers Friday morning of the forthcoming cuts on an inner web site, in accordance with a memo obtained by The NY Post.

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The five-paragraph word didn’t go into many specifics.

At the start of Disney’s three rounds of lay-offs, sources informed The Post that at ESPN, there can be “no sacred cows” when letting go of personnel.

This grew to become obvious on Friday.

Van Gundy, Kellerman, Johnson, Kolber and Rose had been additionally joined by “NFL Countdown” analyst Matt Hasselbeck, NFL draft knowledgeable Todd McShay, faculty basketball analyst LaPhonso Ellis, “SportsCenter” anchor Ashley Brewer, radio host Jason Fitz and baseball author Joon Lee.

Van Gundy is taken into account the most effective NBA TV sport analysts ever, whereas Johnson signed a giant contract only a yr in the past.

Kellerman makes within the neighborhood of $5 million a yr, whereas Johnson, is within the second yr of a five-year, round $18 million deal.

Van Gundy, 61, has been with ESPN for 16 years, calling the Finals with play-by-player Mike Breen and co-game analyst, Mark Jackson.

His precise wage shouldn’t be identified, however he was making hundreds of thousands. He ends his ABC/ESPN profession simply shy of 100 NBA Finals video games.

“Head scratcher,” Fox Sports 1 sports activities present host Colin Cowherd tweeted after the news. “Love JVG.”

Van Gundy was extensively famend for his basketball instinct and distinctive perception on the sport.

“The best NBA game analyst by a mile,” The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo tweeted.

During Friday’s instalment of “Get Up,” Brian Custer, who was filling in for host Mike Greenberg, teased an look from Rose on two separate events midway via the two-hour program.

Just over the midway level within the present, Custer mentioned Rose would be part of the dialog to debate Sixers guard James Harden opting in to his $35.6 million choice for the 2023-24 season, after the business break — however when the confirmed returned, it went on with out Rose.

After Custer cited a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Harden and the Sixers are working to get a deal executed, there was a clumsy pause whereas Harden highlights aired.

“Alright, lets bring in now one of our NBA analysts Jalen Rose,” Custer mentioned earlier than he paused once more.

“He’s going to join us as well, but guys let’s talk about this Joel Embiid situation.”

Rose, who hosts “The Renaissance Man” podcast for The Post, by no means appeared on the present.

NBA Twitter took discover.

“What’s crazy [about] the firing of Jalen Rose is while watching [‘Get Up’] this morning he was [supposed] to be on the show, guess they clipped him after,” one person tweeted.

“That’s wild because this morning on Get Up they said they were having audio issues with Jalen Rose,” one other wrote.