Billy Donovan agreed to become the lead assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs and head coach Mitch Johnson, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Pete Thamel on Thursday.
Donovan, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025, joins the Western Conference champions after 11 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as two college basketball national titles with Florida in 2006 and ’07.
Donovan, 61, stepped down in April as head coach of the Bulls after six seasons. The Bulls said at the time that they wanted the longtime coach to remain in Chicago but that they respected his choice.
Sources told ESPN at the time that Donovan planned to continue his coaching career and he would be a viable target moving forward in the NBA landscape.
Donovan received interest from multiple organizations while under contract with the Bulls — such as the New York Knicks last offseason and the University of North Carolina during this past season — but he had maintained his desire to complete the commitment on his contract. He held an option in his contract for next season and stepped down after extensive meetings with team ownership, sources told ESPN in April.
Donovan led the Bulls to a 226-256 record in his six seasons, and they missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season this year. Before Chicago, he spent five seasons in Oklahoma City, where he went 243-157 and made the playoffs every year.
Donovan replaces Sean Sweeney, who spent one season with the Spurs before taking the reins as head coach for the Orlando Magic. Donovan was a finalist for the position in Orlando, along with Jeff Van Gundy, sources told Charania.
Sweeney ran San Antonio’s defense last season, helping the Spurs improve from 25th to third in the NBA in defensive rating (110.4). The team’s defensive rating improved in the postseason to 105.6, good for second among playoff participants behind the Knicks (104.5).
Donovan, however, won’t be tasked with taking on Sweeney’s responsibilities. The club brought Donovan aboard for his experience on both ends of the floor, as well as his vast knowledge of the NBA and college games. Donovan and Johnson also share a strong personal relationship, sources told ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
Donovan’s son, Billy Donovan III, spent time with Johnson in 2017, coaching on the staff of San Antonio’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
ESPN’s Jamal Collier contributed to this report.
