Billy Donovan has agreed to become the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, agreeing to the move on Thursday after 19 successful seasons at the University of Florida. Donovan will sign a multi-year deal to succeed Scott Brooks,who was fired last week after the Thunder failed to reach the playoffs.
"I knew it would take a unique opportunity to leave the University of Florida and that is clearly how I look at the situation," Donovan said. "The Thunder represents so many of the values that I embrace as a head coach; the commitment to the team above oneself, the dedicated pursuit of excellence, the commitment to organisational culture, the identity they have established and the fact that the Thunder and the community are so intricately woven into the fabric of one another."
Thunder general manager Sam Presti says the 49-year-old Donovan is the perfect fit to guide the club. Donovan has compiled a sparkling resume, accumulating a 467-186 record at Florida that includes back-to-back national titles in 2006-07. But can he make that smooth first-year transition into the league without any NBA coaching experience? Presti seems to thinks so.
"Billy has achieved an incredible level of success and experience as a head coach and he has shown the unique ability to not only sustain an elite program," he said. Donovan inherits a talent-rich roster that features Durant, league scoring champ Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka.
The Thunder is expected to again challenge for an NBA title, if they're healthy, which was not the case this season with its big three missing a significant amount of time. "To have the ability to work with such a talented and a high character group of players is also rare," Donovan said. "I am excited to forge ahead creating those relationships."
