Sixers coaching candidate: Billy Donovan
After a season in which OKC vastly exceeded expectations, the Thunder and Billy Donovan amicably decided to part ways. Donovan will presumably look to join a contender, and his candidacy has already been tied to the Sixers.
Donovan spent a season with the New York Knicks as a player from 1987-88. He then entered the coaching ranks, starting as an assistant at the University of Kentucky from 1989-94. He then received the head coaching gig at Marshall, where he spent two seasons before upgrading to the University of Florida in 1996.
It was at Florida that Donovan made his name and built his reputation. He won two NCAA championships, both while coaching current Sixers big man Al Horford. He spent 20 successful seasons at UF — from 1996-2015 — before accepting the Thunder job.
In OKC, Donovan posted a win record percentage of .607, making the postseason in all five years at the helm. He is one of the most recent examples of collegiate coaches successfully making the jump to NBA basketball, and he’s one of the premier names on the market.
The Sixers have also had serious discussions about trading for Chris Paul. If such a trade does happen, it could help to have a coach CP3 is familiar with. Just a thought.