Thunder hires Florida's Billy Donovan as head coach

The Thunder hired Billy Donovan to be its new head basketball coach. Oklahoma City made the official announcement Thursday afternoon shortly after the University of Florida confirmed that Donovan left the Gators for Oklahoma City.

“We are thrilled to welcome Billy and his family to the Oklahoma City Thunder organization," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. "While we created a comprehensive analysis regarding the qualities we were looking for, it became quite evident that Billy was the ideal fit for the Thunder as we look to transition our team into the future. Billy has achieved an incredible level of success and experience within his 21 years as a head coach and has shown the unique ability to not only create but sustain an elite program. His emotional intelligence, commitment to the concept of team, and relentless approach to incremental improvement have allowed him to bring his players together and establish lasting relationships through competitive success. Billy's core values and alignment with our culture and community, as well as his proven tactical abilities, make him an ideal addition to the Thunder organization.” ‎

Donovan was one of the favorites the entire search. Scott Brooks was fired last week.

Donovan has no NBA coaching experience, but his resume in the college ranks is impressive. He coached Florida for 19 seasons, winning .715 of his games. He has two national championships, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Donovan also took the Gators to the Final Four four times and the Elite Eight seven times.

“I am honored and humbled to be named the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder," said new Thunder head coach Billy Donovan. "I knew that it would take a unique opportunity to leave the University of Florida and that is clearly how I look at this situation. The Thunder represents so many of the values that I embrace as a head coach; the commitment to the team above oneself, the dedicated pursuit of excellence, the commitment to organizational culture, the identity they have established and the fact that the Thunder and the community are so intricately woven into the fabric of one another. To have the ability to work with such a talented and high character group of players is also rare, and I am excited to forge ahead creating those relationships. It is of course bittersweet as the University of Florida will always hold a very special place in my heart and in my family's. I've had the good fortune of working with the best athletic director in the country in Jeremy Foley over the last 19 years, and I'll be forever grateful and thankful for the opportunity and his friendship. Countless players, students, and other people in the administration were responsible for our success and for the meaningful connection we had with the Gainesville community. I have a deep appreciation for what the University of Florida will always mean to me and I'll forever be a Gator.”

Donovan is only the third coach in Thunder history, joining Brooks and PJ Carlesimo.

The Thunder will have an introductory news conference for Donovan Friday at 1:30 pm.

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Thunder hires Florida's Billy Donovan as head coach

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