Billy Donovan exiting as Chicago Bulls head coach

The timing of Donovan’s announcement is interesting, coming just two weeks after Donovan was widely considered the top option to become North Carolina‘s next head men’s basketball coach. Instead, with the NCAA Transfer Portal looming on the eve of the NCAA National Championship game, the Tar Heels opted to hire another former NBA head coach, Michael Malone, on April 6.

The 60-year-old Donovan leaves Chicago following a mostly disappointing six-year tenure during which the Bulls made just one NBA Playoff appearance in 2022, in his second season at the helm. That year, when Chicago went 46-36 and finished second in the Central Division, it turned out to be Donovan’s lone winning season in the Windy City.

Overall, Donovan went 226-256 across his six years leading the Bulls, losing at least 40 games in five of those seasons. That all culminated in this year’s 31-51 finish, which led to a major shakeup within the Bulls front office following the firing of VP of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley. Those moves were originally believed to signal further institutional support for Donovan to remain in Chicago. But it appears the two-time NCAA National Champion head coach had other ideas.

Donovan, who won back-to-back national titles with Florida between 2005-07, compiled an incredible 467-186 record in 19 seasons in Gainesville, including 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and eight different Sweet 16s. But after so much success at the collegiate level, Donovan left to take over the NBA’s Oklahoma Thunder following the 2014-15 season.

Of course, Donovan didn’t experience the same level of success in the NBA with a 469-413 record overall and making it out of the first round of the playoffs just once — in his first season (2015-16). Donovan hasn’t given any indication to what’s next for him. Still, if UNC’s interest last month is any indication, the former Florida coach could become a hot name during the next collegiate coaching carousel.