Thunderous Thoughts: Billy Donovan coaching rumors

Welcome to Thunderous Thoughts, a weekly look at the OKC Thunder where the main story ranges from fake to made up. This week we figure out Billy Donovan’s next coaching gig.

Rumors are circulating that Billy Donovan is on the shortlist to fill the Ohio State head coaching vacancy.

Keep in mind that rumors circulated the other month that Billy Donovan was on the shortlist to take over the Indiana head coaching vacancy. Some even went as far to say that Donovan flew to Indiana on the same day that he was at Thunder practice and attended a Russell Westbrook bowling event.

Let’s also not forget that in order for Donovan to take a job in college, the Oklahoma City Thunder would have to release him from his contract. Given the amount the Thunder organization has invested in Donovan, that’s seems highly unlikely.

Here’s what we do know, officially: Billy Donovan is a great college head coach.

He went to four Final Fours and won two National Titles with Florida. He’s on the same level as Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, and John Calipari when it comes to recruiting, coaching and preparing college players for the next level. Because of this reputation, Donovan’s name gets bandied about whenever there is a high profile college opening.

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His name is also out there because they think he’s failed as an NBA head coach despite evidence to the contrary. Donovan was one game and one good performance by his superstar away from going to the NBA Finals in his first year on the job. He designed a system that unleashed Westbrook, coaching OKC to a sixth seed despite an extremely flawed roster. He out-coached Gregg Popovich in the NBA playoffs. He’s made mistakes, but no NBA coach is perfect. Believing Donovan has failed as a NBA coach feeds into the “Rings Culture” that says, “you’re worthless unless you’ve won it all.”

With all that said, and with there being a 99 percent chance that Donovan remains in Oklahoma City for the foreseeable future, let’s start a bunch of rumors that will have Donovan coaching a college team near you.

Florida

Mike White took over Donovan’s gig two years ago. They made the NIT tournament in his first season, but reached the Elite Eight last year. White might be a good head coach for all we know. But if Donovan wants his old job back, Florida is parting oceans to make it happen. Sources have confirmed to me that Donovan still travels to Florida. He was last seen in the state on March 29, coaching the Thunder against the Orlando Magic. But what was he doing during the day? I suspect he was visiting his old school, potentially talking about a return.

Duke

Coach K is 70-years-old with a myriad of health problems. He’s not going to be around forever. Duke is a program that has established a winning tradition. Most believe that Jeff Capel, Duke’s current assistant coach and interim head coach when Krzyzewski has to miss games, is the next man in line. Capel has proven to be a fine head coach in the past, but he hasn’t proven to be Billy Donovan. You know who has? Billy Donovan.

Donovan and Krzyzewski are close. Sources tell me that they have spoken to or about each other within the last five years. What did they talk about? Probably Donovan becoming the next Duke coach when Krzyzewski steps down.

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UCLA

Steve Alford isn’t getting it done at UCLA. Sweet Sixteen appearances are not good enough for the Big Baller Brand. After ousting Alford, Lavar Ball has been given free reign to conduct his own coaching search. There’s only one man for the job. Big Baller Billy.

Lavar loves that Donovan gives his superstar the freedom to do what he wants. He wants that for his sons. He’s even willing to commit them past their Freshman year if it means they average a triple-double and are compared to UCLA alum Russell Westbrook.

I know firsthand that Donovan was in California seven times during the NBA season. Do you think he spent that much time in other states during the season? Of course. Why did he go to California so often? I can only assume that he was taking meetings with Lavar and the Big Baller Brand, working out the details of him becoming the next UCLA head coach.