Billy Donovan could find himself back in college, and with pure prestige at that.
Athletics director Mitch Barnhart is about to embark on a journey to find the next head coach of the University of Kentucky basketball program, the third overall under his leadership. In 2007 and 2009, there was one particular name that UK had a big target on — fast forward to 2024 and things are still the same.
Donovan, who won two national championships as the head coach of the Florida Gators, has been working for a decade in the NBA ever since then. Here in the 2023-24 campaign, Donovan is slated to make his seventh appearance in the NBA Playoffs. But with that being said, Donovan could potentially be back in blue next season, back in blue with a program where he coached under Rick Pitino from 1989-1994 (five seasons), back in blue where he would once again call Lexington home. (RELATED: South Carolina’s Dawn Staley Earns $700,000 Bonus After Winning Third National Championship)
Could it actually happen?
Only time will tell, but Pete Thamel of ESPN is reporting that Donovan is being branded by Kentucky as the “home run hire,” and that the connections between the two could bring him on as the next head coach of Wildcats basketball.
WATCH:
Here our @SportsCenter hit from earlier with @HannahStormESPN on John Calipari’s upcoming move to Arkansas and who the Wildcats will hire to replace him. pic.twitter.com/UGtG4gN2SR
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 8, 2024
Well, wouldn’t this be interesting…
My whole thing though: If you’re Billy Donovan, would you even want to get back in college basketball at this point?
With the university game having NIL now, you might as well stay in the NBA where the contracts are at least associated with pros (and on top of that, your salary will be higher in the league).