Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John Donovan, Jr.is an American professional basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He previously spent 19 seasons at the University of Florida, where his Florida Gators men's basketball teams won two NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships in 2006 and 2007. Donovan has more wins than any other coach in the history of the Florida basketball program, and he coached the Gators to more NCAA tournament appearances,...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth30 May 1965
CityRockville Centre, NY
balls change constantly frustrated guard guys hard lee post preaching standing watching
I was getting frustrated watching balls go up from the three-point line, when those guys are standing 1-on-1 in the post with a guy 6-6 guarding them. It's hard sometimes. I'm constantly preaching to (Green and guard Lee Humphrey), 'When you're open, let it go.' Sometimes you have to change your thought processes.
less teaching
He was teaching us that sometimes less is more. Less of myself was more that day.
coaching felt fun winning
I always felt I was going to have a lot of fun coaching these guys. They've had the right attitude, and winning has been the byproduct of it.
basketball bud build chance great hold program randy remember touched work
He was a great guy. It was such a tragedy, what happened. He touched a lot of lives. I know with St. Francis, he and (athletic director) Randy Maris had a lot of plans, he wanted to give Bud the chance to build a basketball program and unfortunately it didn't work out. At least his family, his kids, will have something they can hold to and remember him by.
created shots timely trying
He created and made some things happen. He made some very timely 3point shots when they were trying to make a run.
created shots timely trying
He created and made some things happen. He made some very timely 3-point shots when they were trying to make a run.
carried impressive line shocking team took
He carried our team offensively, no question. The thing that was so shocking was he only took 14 shots. The thing that was so impressive was he got to the free-throw line 22 times.
needs simple
He just needs to let it go. It's really that simple for our team.
talk
He just wanted to talk about the day each one of us had. What I did, what he did.
best cares college felt game kid needs office physically since single takes walked
He just felt like where he was at physically it was best for Walter to start. I think that takes a kid with unbelievable character, a kid that cares about the team, a kid who has started every single game since he's been here walked into my office and said, 'Coach, Walter needs to start, I need to come off the bench.' . . . I don't know how many sophomores in college would come in and say that.
fall gets key seems
He is the whole key to their team. When he gets his 18 to 19 points, everything else seems to fall into place.
bench chance college guys kids program prove rather sitting taking valuable year
I still feel like the kids in our program could get a whole lot better and could improve. And I think another year in college for those guys, or two, would prove to be valuable to them, rather than someone taking a chance or an opportunity, and those guys sitting on the bench and not having a chance to develop.
close growing learning lee lost obviously process separated stretch
I still feel it's a learning and growing process for our guys. I'm shocked, unbelievably surprised, that we're 23-6. We've obviously lost a lot of close games, but if you would have told me that Brewer would be out for a stretch and Lee Humphrey would have a separated shoulder, I would have told you we would have had some problems.
continuity four kentucky level program recruiting seniors terms
I think I'm going to have to look at some things from the recruiting standpoint. We have not had the level of continuity in this program like Kentucky has had, in terms of having three, four seniors every year.