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Florida’s Donovan is new Thunder coach
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OKLAHOMA City hired former University of Florida coach Billy Donovan as head coach on Thursday as it turns to a new direction following a disappointing 2014-15 National Basketball Association season.
The 49-year-old Donovan led Florida to two national collegiate championships, four Final Fours, seven Elite Eights and 14 NCAA Tournament berths in 19 years. He signed a one-year contract extension with the Gators in December that would have paid him an average salary of US$4 million through 2020.
But, eight years after leaving Florida to coach the Orlando Magic and then changing his mind the following day, Donovan is back in the NBA. It’s not likely he’ll return to Gainesville this time — he inherits 2013-14 MVP Kevin Durant and 2014-15 scoring champion Russell Westbrook.
“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,” Donovan said.
Donovan replaces the fired Scott Brooks.
The pressure will be on Donovan immediately. Brooks went 338-207 (.620) in seven seasons with the Thunder and was the 2009-10 NBA Coach of the Year. Starting in 2010-11, he led the team to the Western Conference finals three out of four years, and the franchise reached the NBA finals in 2012.
This season, a broken foot limited Durant to 27 games and knee surgery kept Serge Ibaka out for the season’s final month. Westbrook posted nine triple-doubles after the All-Star break while trying to salvage the season, but the Thunder were knocked out of the playoff race on the final night of the regular season.
Now, Donovan will have to prove he can coach in the NBA, help Durant feel comfortable enough to re-sign instead of testing free agency and help the franchise that moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season break through and win a title.
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