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
believe best both deal national sitting
We're sitting up here as national champions, but I don't necessarily believe we're the best team. In a one-shot deal like this, I've been on both sides. I've been heartbroken, and now we're national champions.
basketball believe winning
Systems win! Believe in your system, and then sell it to your players.
believe bench concerned control giving shoot shots type
Our bench has done good. I really believe if I could have control of when they shoot the ball, our bench making shots and giving our bench production, we would do it. But I'm not concerned about that. I'm more concerned about the type of shots we're getting.
believe enjoying group guys heart playing together
I think we've got a different group of kids. I believe in my heart that all those guys will be back. They're having too much fun, they're enjoying playing together too much.
affect believe believer continue happened harder head mean negatively quality question recruit work
That's a really, really interesting question because I've always been a big, big believer that things that have happened in the past, negatively or positively, don't affect your future. I believe I have to work harder now as a head coach, and what I mean by that is we've got to try to continue to recruit good, quality kids.
almost believe great hard
This has been a great place. It's hard to believe it's been almost 10 years.
believe best country ends event incredible obviously playing side team
I still don't necessarily believe we (are) the best team in the country. When you're playing in an event that's a one-and-done deal, anything can happen. I've been on the side of it where it ends in a heart-breaking manner. And now I've been on the side where it's obviously just an incredible feeling.
basketball believe difference experience great likes relation team
No one likes losing, but it's great for our basketball team to go through this. It is great because they need this. I really believe the difference was our experience as a basketball team in relation to their experience.
athlete athletics believe bobby continues david great jones runner shooting versatile
I think it's a great comparison. Bobby Jones was a great runner in transition, he was a great athlete on the floor. I believe as David continues to grow, his shooting will get better. He's a very versatile guy.
believe group love
I believe they love being challenged, and that's unique. This is a different group of kids.
apparently area believe shoulder stability surgery tear three
I believe there are three ligaments around the shoulder area where he got injured. Apparently if you tear more than one, you have to have surgery to get back the stability in the shoulder. He only tore a ligament, so he didn't need surgery and there were no fractures in there.
believer coach defines happen losing sitting tournament
I could be sitting up here as the losing coach from Florida. I'm just not a big believer that this tournament defines people, coaches, teams, individuals. I'll never believe that because too much can happen in a one-game situation.
believe dealing depth fatigue favorite foul games impressive issues playing three
I do not believe there is any clear-cut favorite right now. LSU has been the most impressive in our league, but you're dealing with depth issues for everybody, you're dealing with fatigue issues, you're going to have to deal with foul trouble, you're going to have to deal with playing three games in a row.
banging believe constant corey hopeful lee opposed productive soon
I believe Corey will play, how productive I don't know. Lee I just don't know. There's not going to be a constant banging (as opposed to football), so I'm hopeful of getting him back as soon as possible.