UNC Rumored To Target Bulls Coach Billy Donovan

It’s been nearly a decade since the North Carolina Tar Heels won the NCAA championship game and five years since they lost to Kansas in the finals, both of which seem like forever when it comes to one of college basketball’s most storied programs. After back-to-back first-round tournament losses, the Tar Heels have decided to go in a different direction with their head coach. 

After parting ways with Hubert Davis following their 82-78 loss to Virginia Commonwealth in an 11-6 seed upset, the Tar Heels have been rumored to set their sights on Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. While Donovan hasn’t coached college ball in over a decade, he somehow feels like the most natural fit for a power five team looking to regain its glory. 

It’s been a minute since Donovan patrolled the college sidelines. After starting his career with two years at Marshall, Donovan then spent the next 19 seasons in Gainesville, Florida, where he went 467–186 with four Final Fours and back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007, turning the Gators into a genuine powerhouse from scratch. Then he moved onto the NBA and didn't skip a beat. He guided Oklahoma City to the Western Conference Finals in his first season, followed by four straight playoff appearances as the team dealt with dramatic roster changes featuring Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Chris Paul. 

Like legendary UNC coaches Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and Frank McGuire, Donovan is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.  While Davis was good, he wasn’t great, and the Tar Heels expect greatness. 

As the Bulls still have a season left to finish, Donovan has maintained his loyalty to his position within the NBA franchise while saying all the right things about both Davis and the UNC program. On the other hand, the Bulls, who are in need of a different direction and voice after just one playoff appearance during Donovan’s six-year tenure, appear ready to move on. 

While some may see a return to the college ranks after over a decade in the NBA as a bit of a demotion, the NCAA has changed over the last ten years since Donovan last held his clipboard in Florida, thanks to portal transfer rules and NIL contracts. For a blue-blood program that needs to reestablish its credibility quickly,  a Hall of Fame coach who's won titles and survived the NBA is about as safe a "swing" as exists in coaching searches.