Billy Donovan
Encyclopedia
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. (born May 30, 1965) is an American college basketball
coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach
of the Florida Gators men's basketball
team of the University of Florida
. He is best known for leading the Florida Gators to two consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) national championships.
Donovan has coached the Gators in three NCAA championship game appearances in 2000
, 2006
and 2007
. The Gators lost to the Michigan State Spartans
in the 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball final. The Gators won the national championship in 2006 with a 73–57 win over the UCLA
and again in 2007 with an 84–75 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes
, making Donovan the first coach since Mike Krzyzewski to win back-to-back NCAA titles. He is one of only four men (Dean Smith
, Joe B. Hall
and Bobby Knight
being the others) to appear in the NCAA Final Four as a player and win the NCAA national championship as a coach.
After a brief stint as head coach of the Orlando Magic
that lasted only five days, Donovan re-signed with the Gators on June 7, 2007, to a deal that made him the highest-paid head coach in college basketball, at $3.5 million per year.
, New York
. He is the son of Bill Donovan, Sr., the third leading scorer in Boston College
men's basketball history. Donovan graduated from St. Agnes Cathedral High School — a local powerhouse where he was coached by the legendary Frank Morris — in 1983 before going on to Providence College
, where he played guard on the basketball team. His first two seasons with the Friars were unimpressive; he scored an average of two points per game as a freshman and three points as a sophomore. His junior year, however, Donovan flourished in the system of new head coach Rick Pitino
. "Billy the Kid," as Providence fans soon nicknamed him (after the 19th century outlaw
), averaged 15.1 points as a junior and 20.6 as a senior, when he led the Friars to the Final Four and earned the Southeast Regional Most Valuable Player honors.
Donovan was drafted by the Utah Jazz
in the third round (68th overall) of the 1987 NBA Draft
. He was waived after the preseason and played briefly for the Wyoming Wildcatters of the Continental Basketball Association
. He then signed a one-year contract with the New York Knicks
, coached by Pitino. Donovan averaged 2.4 points and 2.0 assists over 44 games.
, Donovan worked for a Wall Street
investment firm before joining Pitino as an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky
in 1989. His success there secured him the head coaching job at Marshall University
.
North Division.
His first full recruiting class at Marshall included a high-profile local recruit, point guard Jason Williams. In Donovan's second season, the team went 17-11, led the conference in scoring and three-point field goals.
In two years at Marshall, he accumulated a 35–20 record and a conference division championship.
, whose men's basketball team
had fallen startlingly far from its 1994 Final Four appearance
. Donovan took the team to the National Invitation Tournament
in his second season, 1997–1998. The following season saw the team make its third ever Sweet Sixteen
appearance and become only the second squad in school history to appear in the final Top 25 polls (17th in the ESPN
/USA Today
Poll and 23rd in the Associated Press
Poll).
The next season, 1999–2000, saw Donovan lead the Gators to an SEC Championship and their second Final Four appearance
, defeating North Carolina
in the national semi-finals before falling to Michigan State
in the championship game.
The Gators again won the SEC regular season championship during 2000-2001 season.
The team reached the NCAA Tournament in every season between 1999–2007, a streak of nine straight appearances; in eight decades of Florida men's basketball prior to Donovan's arrival, the school had never reached the Tournament more than three years running. On February 3, 2003, the team achieved a No. 1 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today poll for the first time in school history, returning there the following season on December 8, 2003.
The 2004-2005 season was highlighted by Florida defeating Kentucky 70-53 to win the SEC Tournament Championship
, a first for the Gators.
In the 2005–2006 season, Donovan's young Gator squad posted the school's best-ever win streak to start a single season, reeling off 17 straight wins and reaching #2 in the nation in the AP Poll. However, the team failed to reach the top spot as it lost its first SEC game of the season to the Tennessee Volunteers. This win was followed by a surprising season sweep at the hands of the eventual 2006 National Invitation Tournament
Champion South Carolina Gamecocks
. Florida avenged those losses by ending South Carolina's surprising SEC Tournament run in the finals, winning the SEC Tournament Championship. The 2005–2006 season was the most successful in the history of both Donovan and Florida basketball, as the Gators defeated UCLA
73–57 in the NCAA championship game, winning the school's first NCAA title.
On December 20, 2006, Donovan became the winningest basketball coach in Florida history, earning his 236th win as Florida's coach in a romp over Stetson
and surpassing Norm Sloan
's 235 wins. During the 2006-2007 season, with the return of all his starting five from the 2005-06 team (Lee Humphrey
, Joakim Noah
, Al Horford
, Corey Brewer
, and Taurean Green
), the Gators pulled off a championship trifecta by winning the Southeastern Conference regular season title, SEC Tournament title, and their second straight NCAA Tournament.
With the return of the entire 2006 championship team, the Gators instantly were named preseason favorites to repeat by many media pundits. The Gators raced out of the gates, losing just two non-conference ballgames (vs. Kansas and at Florida State). The 2007 Gators looked even more mature in terms of their unselfishness, passing and shooting abilities and overall team play. Although the Gators sputtered down the stretch during SEC play, losing three of four games started by a loss at Vanderbilt, the team rebounded with their sixth consecutive win over their arch-rivals, the Kentucky Wildcats to regain momentum. The Gators went on to win the SEC Tournament once again with dominating performances, culminating in a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Florida earned the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated Jackson State, Purdue, Butler and Oregon to reach the Final Four. In a rematch of the 2006 title game against UCLA, Donovan's Gators prevailed 76–66. The Gators secured their repeat championship two nights later with an emphatic 84–75 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, coached by Thad Matta. Just three months prior, the Gator football team had defeated the Buckeyes in the BCS Championship Game.
. After winning the National Championship, Donovan declined and said he wanted to work out an extension to stay at Florida. However, in late May, Donovan was offered the Orlando Magic head coaching job. On May 31, 2007, Donovan accepted the head coaching position for the NBA's Orlando Magic
in a deal reported to be worth $27.5 million over five years, and announced his acceptance of the head coaching job on June 1, 2007. Donovan replaced Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons. Hill's ouster followed the Magic's first playoff appearance in four years, which ended in the first round against Detroit. Donovan signed the contract June 1, officially making him Magic head coach. Florida then contacted Anthony Grant (who at the time was the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and former assistant head coach under Donovan) to offer him the job.
But, on the morning of June 2, 2007, Donovan informed the Magic and the Gators that he was having second thoughts about leaving the University of Florida. On June 6, the Magic came to an agreement with Donovan to release him from his contract, leaving him free to rejoin the Gators basketball team. As a stipulation of his release, he reportedly agreed not to coach in the NBA for the following five seasons.
.
Despite the loss of all five starters from the previous year, the Gators surprised many pundits with Donovan's tenth straight twenty-win season. However, after an 18–3 start, the team struggled during the final third of the season, winning just three of its last eleven games and snapping the Gators' nine-year streak of NCAA Tournament invitations. The young Gator team rebounded to reach the 2008 NIT
semifinals, where they were defeated by UMass
.
The 2008–09 team
started out the season ranked 19th and started out 5–0 before falling to Syracuse
. A loss two weeks later to the Florida State Seminoles
knocked the Gators out of the top twenty-five ranked teams. Though the team won twenty-two regular season games, it once again was not enough to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. However, the Gators were given a number one seed in the 2009 NIT
, where they lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the quarterfinals.
The Gators returned to the NCAA tournament during the 2009–2010
season, but lost in the first round to BYU Cougars in double overtime. During the year, Florida defeated Florida State, ending a three-game losing streak to the Seminoles. They also defeated Michigan State, a preseason favorite to win the NCAA tournament and an eventual Final Four team, en route to winning the 2009 Legends Classic tournament.
With three returning senior starters, the Gators posted an improved record. They won the SEC regular season title, and were SEC tournament runner-up. The Gators defeated the Jimmer Fredette-led BYU Cougars, before losing in overtime to the Butler Bulldogs in the Elite Eight, who went on to play the Connecticut Huskies in the national championship game.
On March 8, 2011, Donovan was named the 2011 SEC Coach of the Year. Despite appearing in three national title games and winning two national titles, it was Donovan's first time winning the award. Chandler Parsons also became the first Gator to ever win SEC Player of the Year honors.
. The following head coaches all spent time under Donovan at Florida:
or signed as members of National Basketball Association
(NBA) teams, including seven first-round NBA draft picks. These former Gators players include:
presented Donovan with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
in 2006. Donovan was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award
's "Legends of Coaching Award" in 2010. Donovan was recognized by his peers as the 2011 SEC Coach of the Year.
He has been described as conservative by some of his players and in the media. However, he is a registered independent.
were named co-chairmen of an effort to raise $50 million to support the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
.
This scholarship was designed for first-generation students that have unique needs and financial challenges. The Florida Opportunity Scholars Program was created by President Bernie Machen
in 2006, and is intended to increase the opportunities for academically prepared first-generation students.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Florida Gators men's basketball
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
team of the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. He is best known for leading the Florida Gators to two consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) national championships.
Donovan has coached the Gators in three NCAA championship game appearances in 2000
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, 2006
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
and 2007
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. The Gators lost to the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
in the 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball final. The Gators won the national championship in 2006 with a 73–57 win over the UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
and again in 2007 with an 84–75 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
, making Donovan the first coach since Mike Krzyzewski to win back-to-back NCAA titles. He is one of only four men (Dean Smith
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
, Joe B. Hall
Joe B. Hall
-See also:*Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball*NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches- External links :* at unofficial Fan Site* * *...
and Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
being the others) to appear in the NCAA Final Four as a player and win the NCAA national championship as a coach.
After a brief stint as head coach of the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
that lasted only five days, Donovan re-signed with the Gators on June 7, 2007, to a deal that made him the highest-paid head coach in college basketball, at $3.5 million per year.
Playing career
Donovan was born and raised in Rockville Centre on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He is the son of Bill Donovan, Sr., the third leading scorer in Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
men's basketball history. Donovan graduated from St. Agnes Cathedral High School — a local powerhouse where he was coached by the legendary Frank Morris — in 1983 before going on to Providence College
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
, where he played guard on the basketball team. His first two seasons with the Friars were unimpressive; he scored an average of two points per game as a freshman and three points as a sophomore. His junior year, however, Donovan flourished in the system of new head coach Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
. "Billy the Kid," as Providence fans soon nicknamed him (after the 19th century outlaw
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
), averaged 15.1 points as a junior and 20.6 as a senior, when he led the Friars to the Final Four and earned the Southeast Regional Most Valuable Player honors.
Donovan was drafted by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the third round (68th overall) of the 1987 NBA Draft
1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
. He was waived after the preseason and played briefly for the Wyoming Wildcatters of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
. He then signed a one-year contract with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, coached by Pitino. Donovan averaged 2.4 points and 2.0 assists over 44 games.
Coaching career
After an unsuccessful year playing for Pitino on the New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Donovan worked for a Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
investment firm before joining Pitino as an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in 1989. His success there secured him the head coaching job at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
.
Marshall University
Donovan's first season as a head coach saw him turn around a Marshall team that had gone 9-18 the season before his arrival. The team doubled its wins from the previous year to go 18-9 and win the Southern ConferenceSouthern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
North Division.
His first full recruiting class at Marshall included a high-profile local recruit, point guard Jason Williams. In Donovan's second season, the team went 17-11, led the conference in scoring and three-point field goals.
In two years at Marshall, he accumulated a 35–20 record and a conference division championship.
University of Florida
In 1996 Donovan took over head coaching duties at FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, whose men's basketball team
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
had fallen startlingly far from its 1994 Final Four appearance
1994 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1994 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The United Press International and the...
. Donovan took the team to the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
in his second season, 1997–1998. The following season saw the team make its third ever Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearance and become only the second squad in school history to appear in the final Top 25 polls (17th in the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
/USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Poll and 23rd in the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Poll).
The next season, 1999–2000, saw Donovan lead the Gators to an SEC Championship and their second Final Four appearance
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, defeating North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
in the national semi-finals before falling to Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
in the championship game.
The Gators again won the SEC regular season championship during 2000-2001 season.
The team reached the NCAA Tournament in every season between 1999–2007, a streak of nine straight appearances; in eight decades of Florida men's basketball prior to Donovan's arrival, the school had never reached the Tournament more than three years running. On February 3, 2003, the team achieved a No. 1 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today poll for the first time in school history, returning there the following season on December 8, 2003.
The 2004-2005 season was highlighted by Florida defeating Kentucky 70-53 to win the SEC Tournament Championship
2005 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
Asterisk denotes game ended in overtime....
, a first for the Gators.
In the 2005–2006 season, Donovan's young Gator squad posted the school's best-ever win streak to start a single season, reeling off 17 straight wins and reaching #2 in the nation in the AP Poll. However, the team failed to reach the top spot as it lost its first SEC game of the season to the Tennessee Volunteers. This win was followed by a surprising season sweep at the hands of the eventual 2006 National Invitation Tournament
2006 National Invitation Tournament
-Michigan Bracket:-Louisville Bracket:-Cincinnati Bracket:-Semifinals & Finals:...
Champion South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976...
. Florida avenged those losses by ending South Carolina's surprising SEC Tournament run in the finals, winning the SEC Tournament Championship. The 2005–2006 season was the most successful in the history of both Donovan and Florida basketball, as the Gators defeated UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
73–57 in the NCAA championship game, winning the school's first NCAA title.
On December 20, 2006, Donovan became the winningest basketball coach in Florida history, earning his 236th win as Florida's coach in a romp over Stetson
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
and surpassing Norm Sloan
Norm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
's 235 wins. During the 2006-2007 season, with the return of all his starting five from the 2005-06 team (Lee Humphrey
Lee Humphrey
Lee Anthony Humphrey is an American professional basketball player who is currently a shooting guard for Ratiopharm Ulm in the German basketball league Basketball Bundesliga. Humphrey played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was a key member of the Florida Gators teams that...
, Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah
Joakim Simon Noah is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship...
, Al Horford
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
, Corey Brewer
Corey Brewer
Corey Wayne Brewer is an American professional basketball player who is a small forward and shooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for for the University of Florida, where he starred on the Florida Gators teams that won...
, and Taurean Green
Taurean Green
Taurean Green is an American-born professional basketball player who is a point guard for CB Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands affiliate of the Spanish basketball league Liga ACB. Green played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Florida Gators teams that...
), the Gators pulled off a championship trifecta by winning the Southeastern Conference regular season title, SEC Tournament title, and their second straight NCAA Tournament.
With the return of the entire 2006 championship team, the Gators instantly were named preseason favorites to repeat by many media pundits. The Gators raced out of the gates, losing just two non-conference ballgames (vs. Kansas and at Florida State). The 2007 Gators looked even more mature in terms of their unselfishness, passing and shooting abilities and overall team play. Although the Gators sputtered down the stretch during SEC play, losing three of four games started by a loss at Vanderbilt, the team rebounded with their sixth consecutive win over their arch-rivals, the Kentucky Wildcats to regain momentum. The Gators went on to win the SEC Tournament once again with dominating performances, culminating in a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Florida earned the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated Jackson State, Purdue, Butler and Oregon to reach the Final Four. In a rematch of the 2006 title game against UCLA, Donovan's Gators prevailed 76–66. The Gators secured their repeat championship two nights later with an emphatic 84–75 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, coached by Thad Matta. Just three months prior, the Gator football team had defeated the Buckeyes in the BCS Championship Game.
Short-lived Orlando Magic stint
During Florida's second title run it was rumored that Donovan may accept a deal from the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. After winning the National Championship, Donovan declined and said he wanted to work out an extension to stay at Florida. However, in late May, Donovan was offered the Orlando Magic head coaching job. On May 31, 2007, Donovan accepted the head coaching position for the NBA's Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in a deal reported to be worth $27.5 million over five years, and announced his acceptance of the head coaching job on June 1, 2007. Donovan replaced Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons. Hill's ouster followed the Magic's first playoff appearance in four years, which ended in the first round against Detroit. Donovan signed the contract June 1, officially making him Magic head coach. Florida then contacted Anthony Grant (who at the time was the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and former assistant head coach under Donovan) to offer him the job.
But, on the morning of June 2, 2007, Donovan informed the Magic and the Gators that he was having second thoughts about leaving the University of Florida. On June 6, the Magic came to an agreement with Donovan to release him from his contract, leaving him free to rejoin the Gators basketball team. As a stipulation of his release, he reportedly agreed not to coach in the NBA for the following five seasons.
University of Florida (2007–present)
After announcing his return to Gainesville, Donovan signed the top-ranked 2007 recruiting class, as rated by Rivals.comRivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
.
Despite the loss of all five starters from the previous year, the Gators surprised many pundits with Donovan's tenth straight twenty-win season. However, after an 18–3 start, the team struggled during the final third of the season, winning just three of its last eleven games and snapping the Gators' nine-year streak of NCAA Tournament invitations. The young Gator team rebounded to reach the 2008 NIT
2008 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and Final:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3* - Overtime game.-External links:*...
semifinals, where they were defeated by UMass
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
The 2008–09 team
2008–09 Florida Gators men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of basketball during the 2008–09 college basketball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern...
started out the season ranked 19th and started out 5–0 before falling to Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
. A loss two weeks later to the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
knocked the Gators out of the top twenty-five ranked teams. Though the team won twenty-two regular season games, it once again was not enough to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. However, the Gators were given a number one seed in the 2009 NIT
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
, where they lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the quarterfinals.
The Gators returned to the NCAA tournament during the 2009–2010
2009–10 Florida Gators men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of basketball during the 2009–10 college basketball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern...
season, but lost in the first round to BYU Cougars in double overtime. During the year, Florida defeated Florida State, ending a three-game losing streak to the Seminoles. They also defeated Michigan State, a preseason favorite to win the NCAA tournament and an eventual Final Four team, en route to winning the 2009 Legends Classic tournament.
With three returning senior starters, the Gators posted an improved record. They won the SEC regular season title, and were SEC tournament runner-up. The Gators defeated the Jimmer Fredette-led BYU Cougars, before losing in overtime to the Butler Bulldogs in the Elite Eight, who went on to play the Connecticut Huskies in the national championship game.
On March 8, 2011, Donovan was named the 2011 SEC Coach of the Year. Despite appearing in three national title games and winning two national titles, it was Donovan's first time winning the award. Chandler Parsons also became the first Gator to ever win SEC Player of the Year honors.
Coaching protégés
Several of Donovan's assistants have become college head coaches in recent years. Two of Donovan's former assistants currently serve as head coaches with Donovan in the Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. The following head coaches all spent time under Donovan at Florida:
- Anthony GrantAnthony Grant (basketball)-External links:* at RollTide.com...
, currently at University of AlabamaAlabama Crimson Tide men's basketballThe Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,... - Donnie Jones, currently at University of Central FloridaUCF Knights men's basketballThe UCF Knights men's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA . They play their home games in the UCF Arena located on the...
- John PelphreyJohn PelphreyJohn Leslie Pelphrey is an American college basketball coach and was the 14th head men's basketball coach at the University of Arkansas . After being named Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" in 1987, he became a star college player at the University of Kentucky. Prior to coaching the Razorbacks, he...
, formerly with the University of ArkansasArkansas Razorbacks men's basketballThe Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team represents the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The school's team currently competes in the Southeastern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008... - Shaka SmartShaka SmartShaka Smart is an American college basketball coach, and the current head coach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball program...
, currently at Virginia Commonwealth University
Former players in the NBA
Several of Donovan's former Gators players have been selected in the NBA DraftNBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
or signed as members of National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) teams, including seven first-round NBA draft picks. These former Gators players include:
- Matt BonnerMatt BonnerMatthew Robert "Matt" Bonner is an American professional basketball player who is currently a member of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . Bonner played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the...
(2nd round, 45th pick, 2003 NBA Draft2003 NBA DraftThe 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
) - Corey BrewerCorey BrewerCorey Wayne Brewer is an American professional basketball player who is a small forward and shooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for for the University of Florida, where he starred on the Florida Gators teams that won...
(1st round, 7th pick, 2007 NBA Draft2007 NBA DraftThe 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
) - Udonis HaslemUdonis HaslemUdonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams...
(2003 undrafted free agent) - Al HorfordAl HorfordAlfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
(1st round, 3rd pick, 2007 NBA Draft) - David LeeDavid Lee (basketball)David Lee is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward and center for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for the University of Florida and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2005 NBA...
(1st round, 30th pick, 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA DraftThe 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
) - Vernon MacklinVernon MacklinVernon L. Macklin is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association . Macklin played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Pistons in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.-...
(2nd round, 52nd pick, 2011 NBA Draft2011 NBA DraftThe 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
) - Mike Miller (1st round, 5th pick, 2000 NBA Draft2000 NBA DraftThe 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
) - Joakim NoahJoakim NoahJoakim Simon Noah is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship...
(1st round, 9th pick, 2007 NBA Draft) - Chandler ParsonsChandler ParsonsChandler E. Parsons is an American professional basketball power forward with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association . Parsons played college basketball at the University of Florida, and was drafted by the Rockets in second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.- Early years :Parsons...
(2nd round, 38th pick, 2011 NBA Draft2011 NBA DraftThe 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
) - Marreese SpeightsMarreese SpeightsMarreese Akeem Speights is an American professional basketball player who is a center for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association . Speights played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a freshman member of the Florida Gators' NCAA national...
(1st round, 18th pick, 2008 NBA Draft2008 NBA DraftThe 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
) - Jason Williams (1st round, 7th pick, 1998 NBA Draft1998 NBA DraftThe 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
)
Awards
The United States Sports AcademyUnited States Sports Academy
The United States Sports Academy is an accredited, sport-specific institution located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the Academy has provided its sports programs to more than 60 countries around the...
presented Donovan with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
The Amos Alonzo Stagg Award is presented annually by the American Football Coaches Association to the “individual, group or institution whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football’’. Recipients receive a plaque which is a replica of the one given to...
in 2006. Donovan was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award
John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
's "Legends of Coaching Award" in 2010. Donovan was recognized by his peers as the 2011 SEC Coach of the Year.
Personal life
Donovan married his wife, Christine, in 1990. The Donovans have four children: William III, Hasbrouck, Bryan, and Connor. Donovan is a devout Roman Catholic.He has been described as conservative by some of his players and in the media. However, he is a registered independent.
Philanthropy
On October 2008, coach Billy Donovan and head University of Florida football coach Urban MeyerUrban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
were named co-chairmen of an effort to raise $50 million to support the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
Florida Opportunity Scholar Program is a need-based scholarship at the University of Florida. The objective of the scholarship is to retain these particular students and have them graduate at rates equal to or greater than the standard undergraduate population on campus.- History :This program is...
.
This scholarship was designed for first-generation students that have unique needs and financial challenges. The Florida Opportunity Scholars Program was created by President Bernie Machen
Bernie Machen
James Bernard "Bernie" Machen is an American university professor and administrator. Machen is a native of Mississippi, and earned multiple academic degrees before becoming a university administrator and president...
in 2006, and is intended to increase the opportunities for academically prepared first-generation students.
Head coaching record
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- History of the University of FloridaHistory of the University of FloridaThe history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida, colloquially known as "Florida" or "UF," originated as several distinct institutions that were merged to create a single state-supported university by the...
- List of Providence College people
- Marshall Thundering HerdMarshall Thundering HerdThe Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
- Providence FriarsProvidence FriarsThe Providence Friars is the name of the athletic teams of Providence College. They compete in the Big East Conference for every sport except for ice hockey, where they compete in Hockey East and in women's volleyball, where they compete in the America East Conference...
- University Athletic AssociationUniversity of Florida Athletic AssociationThe University Athletic Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for maintaining the Florida Gators intercollegiate sports program of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida...
External links
- Billy Donovan's website at the University of Florida athletics site
- Video interview with Donovan at a May 2008 pediatric cancer research benefit hosted by Dick Vitale