Billy Donovan is once again available as a head coach.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Donovan would be stepping down as head coach of the Chicago Bulls after six seasons. The move came as a surprise, especially since Bulls management had reportedly wanted him back.
Before his stint in Chicago, Donovan served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, following 19 years leading the Florida Gators. In his final college season (2014–15), Florida finished 16–17 before Donovan made the leap to the NBA.
Since 2024, Donovan has been floated as a possible candidate for a return to college basketball. When John Calipari left to take the head job at Arkansas, rumors surfaced that Donovan might leave the Bulls to coach Kentucky.
That never happened, as Kentucky was unwilling to wait and hired Mark Pope instead.
More recently, after North Carolina parted ways with Hubert Davis, the Tar Heels pursued Donovan before ultimately hiring Mike Malone.
Now, after a disappointing season, Kentucky is entering a critical period under Pope. If results don’t improve, the program could consider a change following his third season. If Donovan remains available, he could once again become a serious candidate to finally take over in Lexington after previous chances fell through.
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