Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan Tied to University of Kentucky Opening
With John Calipari reportedly departing Kentucky, could Donovan return to the college ranks?
Under head coach Billy Donovan’s leadership, the Chicago Bulls are NBA Play-In Tournament bound for a second straight season. The team has hovered a few games below .500 for most of the season and appears destined to be done playing by the first round of the playoffs once again.
Amid the Bulls’ mediocrity, many fans have called for a coaching change, and they may not have to wait much longer. Donovan’s name has been floated as a candidate for the University of Kentucky job with John Calipari reportedly leaving the Wildcats for the University of Arkansas. ESPN’s Pete Thamel mentioned Donovan as a potential “home-run hire” for Kentucky.
Before Dan Hurley and UConn repeated as champions on Monday, Donovan was the last coach to lead a team to back-to-back national titles in college basketball. His work with Joakim Noah and the Florida Gators drew attention from all levels. It put his name in the mix for NBA jobs and other college jobs, including Kentucky.
Donovan ultimately spent one year with the Orlando Magic but returned to Florida immediately after. In 2015, he finally made a permanent leap to the NBA and signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Donovan’s five seasons coaching the Thunder, he advanced past the first round of the playoffs only once. He then signed with the Bulls and has yet to get past the first round.
As Bulls’ vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas believes he’s assembled a “competitive” roster while preaching continuity, Donovan could see the writing on the wall. The Bulls can’t feasibly make many significant changes to the roster, so all the focus will fall on Donovan’s development.
Alas, returning to the college game could entice Donovan. But it wouldn’t be a cakewalk either. Recruiting, NIL, and the play style are vastly different since Donovan’s last college stint. But Donovan’s NBA experience could be attractive to recruits, and Kentucky is a storied program with a fan base starving for success again.
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