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
He took responsibility. He wasn't putting the blame elsewhere. That's the thing I respect. He asked me what else he could do to help us win. That's the agenda of this team - winning.
He's a problem for anyone because he can rebound, he can score because of their great spacing and he's a very underrated passer out of the post. John (Thompson) has the luxury of playing him and going big or taking him off the floor and going quick. They can go from one extreme to the next because of their balance, so it makes them tough to prepare for.
He's a player-of-the-year candidate, for sure. For me, their whole team is a concern because of their size, their depth and their athleticism.
He's always working very hard and is extremely visible. One thing I've always admired about him is that at 70, he still loves it. It's very impressive.
Georgia is a basketball team that's much improved from the 3-point line. There's no question that offensively they are a lot more explosive than they were a year ago.
George Mason has been playing great. But I thought the key to the game was the 3-point line. That was one thing missing from what people were talking about.
I don't think that we have played against anyone with his size and athletic ability. He is very impressive because he is so skilled. He is a good passer which is impressive for a guy who is 7-foot-2. He runs, he catches and he alters shots. You just don't see a lot of players in college basketball like him. This will be a unique game for us to play against a guy like him.
I'd say, right now, that he's not going to play. I don't know how well his treatment is going to go, and I don't know how well he's going to respond. He's very sore.
I'd say right now he's not going to play. I don't know how his treatment is going to go and how well he's going to respond. He was very, very sore (Sunday) morning. He came in several times for treatment. ... He's not capable of playing right now.
I don't think basketball has ever been an afterthought, at least since I've been here. In the Southeast, in terms of enthusiasm and excitement, it's for football. In Kentucky and Indiana, it's for basketball. I understand that and Billy Donovan isn't changing that culture. ... But I think our program has gotten respect.
I don't think anything surprises at least me any more in this tournament.
I am very, very proud of these kids. It has been such a remarkable run up to this point, just with so much uncertainty surrounding this season with people leaving early and these guys having to step up.
I feel bad for these kids that the past has to be brought up to them. Some of them weren't even here. Some of them weren't even playing. The only constant is me. I just hope people write about these kids today.
I don't think these kids would do what they did up there if they weren't comfortable with it.