This might sound like a broken record, but Billy Donovan may be making a jump to the NBA.
Donovan signed an extension through the 2020 season with Florida on Thursday, a deal that will pay him an average annual salary north of $4 million, starting with $3.9-million next season. He's also set to earn bonuses based on how the program performs, but even without said bonuses he's college basketball's fifth-highest paid coach.
The new deal has a minuscule $500,000 buyout if an NBA opportunity comes up, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
That interest is expected to be there if Donovan looks to make a move this summer, as Stein reports NBA executives believe he will do. At the very least, Donovan is willing to listen to pitches from NBA teams, even if the average NBA coach makes a shade less than Donovan earns with the Gators.
In a fit of interesting timing, Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, a close adviser of Donovan, spoke openly about Donovan's potential NBA candidacy Thursday:
I don't recommend it for college coaches to do that unless they know what it's all about. I take someone like Billy Donovan. I think Billy has looked at it, I think he has an urge to coach in the NBA - a strong desire to coach in the NBA - and would like to try it, very similar to Brad Stevens, who is doing a wonderful job with the Celtics. I think people like that with that type of personality will do very well.
If Billy doesn't do well, he can go back to college. Brad Stevens can go back to college. When you get to be our age, Tom (Izzo) and my age, where are you going back to? The McBurney's YMCA on 37th Street or 34th Street? If you're happy where you're at, it's a good place to stay.
Donovan has been down this road before. In 2007, he agreed to join the Orlando Magic as head coach only to back out. As a result, Donovan wasn't allowed to consider NBA offers until 2013.
The 49-year-old has coached several notable NBA players, including Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Bradley Beal, David Lee and Chandler Parsons. Over 21 seasons coaching, 19 of them with Florida, Donovan has amassed a 502-206 record.
While Florida struggled to a 16-17 mark and missed the postseason this year, Donovan's track record is appreciable. The Gators made the NCAA tournament from 1999 to 2007, including a runner-up finish in 2000 and back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. They dipped in a two-year rebuild of sorts and then made the tournament from 2010 to 2014, going to the Elite Eight or Final Four in four consecutive seasons.
That consistent success, and perhaps the displayed ability to rebuild properly, could make Donovan an attractive target. The Magic and Denver Nuggets are the only teams with interim coaches at the helm, but further opportunities could surely open up once the season ends.
