With several big-name college coaches no longer in the mix, North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball may now be turning its attention toward a surprising NBA option. Billy Donovan has quickly emerged as one of the top names linked to the job after Hubert Davis stepped away, and it sounds like UNC is seriously considering making a strong push to bring him to Chapel Hill.
Donovan has won two national championships at the college level before and brings the kind of experience and credibility that could make him an appealing choice for a program looking to bounce back quickly.
The news was first reported by Jeff Goodman who said, “North Carolina is now solely focusing its efforts on Billy Donovan. They're going to go hard after him, per sources. They expect to know more in the next 24 hours.”
Is Billy Donovan the Right Man to Lead UNC?
Billy Donovan suddenly feels like the most realistic option on the board for North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball. With other candidates no longer available, the Tar Heels appear ready to go all in on trying to bring the two-time national champion back to the college game.
Money will not be the issue here. UNC was reportedly willing to hand out one of the richest contracts in college basketball to land another coach earlier in the search, so there is a good chance Donovan could be offered an even bigger deal. That could put him in line to make more than he currently earns with the Chicago Bulls.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The biggest obstacle is that Donovan is still in the middle of an NBA season and reportedly does not want to leave the Bulls before it is over. At the same time, there are questions about the future of Chicago’s front office, with ownership reportedly growing frustrated over the team’s direction. If Donovan is not convinced the Bulls are heading toward something better, UNC could have a real shot at pulling him back to college basketball.
