With Hubert Davis out at North Carolina, the Tar Heels need to make a big splash in their next head coaching hire. As it so happens, there's a candidate out there who could be a slam dunk hire - if they can entice him to leave.
In the hours since Davis announced that he was let go by the iconic basketball program after five years at the helm, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has emerged as the most talked about replacement in the coaching ranks. Donovan is in the middle of his sixth season in Chicago and is one loss away from a fifth losing campaign.
Prior to his 11 years in the NBA (six with the Bulls, five with the Oklahoma City Thunder), Donovan made his bones as head coach of the Florida Gators, where he turned the program into a powerhouse over his 19 years with the program. Both ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd believe that he's an ideal candidate, but might take some convincing.
"Billy Donovan is expected to be at or near the top of the list. The Chicago Bulls head coach hasn't coached at the college level since 2015, spending the past 11 years with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2015-20) and Bulls (since 2020). He has rejected opportunities to return to college before, but he could be more open to the idea now that the Bulls are going to miss the playoffs. He led Florida to two national championships (2006 and 2007) and took the Gators to two additional Final Fours (2000 and 2014). One complicating issue with Donovan would be timing; the Bulls' last game is April 12," Borzello wrote for ESPN.
"Obvious choice to be next UNC hoops coach is Billy Donovan. But Chicago is great city and NBA travel is luxury living. No recruiting, booster, annoying parent headaches in pro ball. Yet, Bulls aren’t seriously run and BD wins a natty or two w Heels. What to do," Cowherd wrote early this morning.
Donovan's Qualifications
Donovan built one of the most accomplished college basketball coaching careers of the modern era, highlighted by sustained excellence and back-to-back national championships. After beginning his head coaching career at Marshall, Donovan took over the Florida Gators men's basketball program in 1996 and transformed it into a national powerhouse. He led Florida to four Final Four appearances (2000, 2006, 2007, 2014) and captured consecutive NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007, becoming the first coach since Coach K in the early 1990s to repeat as national champion.
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Over 19 seasons at Florida, Donovan compiled more than 450 wins, multiple SEC regular-season and tournament titles, and established the Gators as one of the premier programs in the country. His up-tempo offensive philosophy and player development success produced numerous NBA draft picks while maintaining consistent competitiveness in the Southeastern Conference. Donovan briefly agreed to coach in the NBA in 2007 before returning to Florida, ultimately leaving in 2015 as the winningest coach in school history and one of the most respected figures in college basketball.
