Bulls coach Billy Donovan flattered by Kentucky rumors, but says he's committed to Chicago
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts as he watches his team during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
CHICAGO — Almost as soon as the story leaked that John Calipari was leaving the University of Kentucky to take over at Arkansas, the first name to surface as the leading candidate was Billy Donovan. Donovan started his coaching career there as an assistant to Rick Pitino 35 years ago and now was preparing his Chicago Bulls team to face the Knicks.
But Donovan, a 58-year-old native of Rockville Centre, said he had not been contacted — but also didn’t rule out a move. He has two years left with the Bulls on a contract that pays him $6 million per year. He said general manager Arturas Karnisovas had asked him if he had been contacted and told him that he had not been.
“I’ll just say this,” Donovan said. “I spent five years, my first five years in coaching [at Kentucky]. Coach Pitino gave me a job, two kids were born there. Like all my stops you have very fond memories. I have not been contacted by anybody. My total commitment and focus is here [Chicago], to this team. I think with what we’ve been through this year, the way we started, I give our guys a lot of credit for hanging in there and battling. I’m with them on that. I’m committed to them with that.
"Again, a lot of this stuff turns out to be speculation, but I have not had any contact with anybody. And my commitment is here.”
Asked how he would react if he is contacted, Donovan didn’t rule out his interest or insist that he would stay with the Bulls, where he has served as head coach for four seasons and has navigated the team through a difficult season to earn a play-in spot.
“You always are [flattered],” he said. “But I haven’t spoken to anyone. I’m friendly with John, known him for a long, long time. He did a phenomenal job. Obviously coached against him quite a bit when I was at Florida and he did an amazing job there. I spent time there. I understand the magnitude of that place and the history and tradition.
“It is flattering to be mentioned with a school and a tradition like that in this game. But I also know that people will speculate what may or may not happen.".
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
