Billy Donovan will be named the head coach of the Orlando Magic on Friday, several sources have told ESPN.
The announcement is scheduled to be made at 11 a.m. ET, sources told ESPN.com's Pat Forde.
Thursday, after weeks of waiting for the University of Florida to finalize his new seven-year contract, the Magic offered Donovan a big-money deal. Sources say the deal is shorter and smaller than original reports of a six-year, $36 million deal. The contract is for five years and with a value of $27.5 million.
More on Billy Donovan Wojciechowski • Several ex-Florida players, including former stars Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer, weigh in on Billy Donovan's departure for the NBA. Watch
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"We're not worried about hiring a college coach -- not this college coach," a source told Forde. "He's proven he's won. He's young and he works well with a young team. This team is one step above a college team right now, it's so young. They're just learning how to play together, and someone like Billy will be perfect.
"I also don't think this job is as bad as some of the others that college coaches have walked into. It's not like he's inheriting a bad team, and that's usually the case for a college guy making the transition. The hardest part was for Billy. It was a tough decision for him because of everything that's happened at Florida, because of what he's built there. He was happy there."
The source said that Donovan will have no front-office responsibilities. "He's just the coach," the source said.
Donovan will fly into Orlando for the 11 a.m. news conference Friday and then immediately return to Gainesville to meet with the Gators' media on a chartered flight.
After leading the Gators to the last two national championships, the 42-year-old Donovan received a big-money offer Thursday afternoon. Team officials told the Orlando Sentinel, which first reported the story on its Web site, that Donovan was expected to take the job earlier in the afternoon.
The sources added the Magic job has been the toughest decision he's had to make, much more so than any early offer from Memphis and even more so than Kentucky's contract offer. The part that makes the offer potentially palatable was that it is close enough to his Gainsville home that could it make it a smooth transition. Donovan's parents, in-laws and sister all have a home in Gainsville and the sources said that if there was a job that he would seriously consider it would be the Magic because of the proximity to his family.
SportsNation What should Billy Donovan do? Stay at Florida Go to the Magic
When the offer went public, multiple sources said Donovan had to make a quicker decision. Florida to act quickly and possibly stay within the family with former Florida assistant Anthony Grant, who led VCU to the NCAA Tournament second round in his first season with the Rams. VCU beat Duke in the first round.
"Billy Donovan has been here 11 years and has won two national championships," Florida president Dr. J. Bernard Machen told ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach. "We'll always love Billy Donovan, whether he was here 11 years or 21 years. I don't think the University of Florida has to worry about who their next coach is."
Florida's four juniors -- Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green -- who led the Gators to the back-to-back national titles and all declared for the NBA draft and signed with an agent were impressed with the deal that Donovan was going to receive from the Magic. Horford, Noah and Brewer all said they couldn't see how he would turn down that kind of money.
Green, who was playing in a game Thursday night at the pre-draft camp, said, "I think it was a real tough decision. He's got a great opportunity. But I'm sure he's real sad about leaving. He'll always be a legend at the University of Florida. He won two national championships.''
Horford, Noah and Brewer all said that the Gators should be fine going forward and expected the Gators to hire within the family with VCU's Anthony Grant. They said they would be surprised if Grant didn't get the job, which would allow assistant coach Larry Shyatt to stay with the Gators. Shyatt was instrumental in the Gators winning the last two titles with his defensive principles he brought with him in his years as an assistant to Rick Barnes and a head coach at Wyoming and Clemson.
Donovan's new contract at Florida -- it was presented to him on May 17 but he had yet to sign it as of May 25 -- was to pay him around $3 million in the first year. The contract then was to escalate to more than $3.75 in guaranteed income by the end of the contract in 2013-14, a person familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.com
There is precedent for a college coach turning down the NBA. Former Atlanta Hawks general manager Pete Babcock said Thursday that the Hawks thought Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was going to accept their job when they offered it a few years ago. The same thing occurred when Duke's Mike Krzyzewski turned down a lucrative offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 42-year-old Donovan is one of only 12 college basketball coaches to win multiple national championships. The Gators won their second straight in April after beating Ohio State.
The Magic removed Brian Hill as coach on May 23 after two consecutive losing seasons and a first-round sweep in this year's playoffs.
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:06 am Posts: 2402 Location: Freedonia
I time-traveled to find a transcript of a press conference he's going to hold in 4 years:
"You're the people being negative, and some of the fans. Shaquille O'Neal is not walking through that door. Penny Hardaway is not walking through that door. Tracy McGrady is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through the door, they're going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we're going to improve. People don't realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that lockerroom playing their asses off.
I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can't. The only thing we can do is work hard. And all this negativity that's in this town sucks.
I've been around when Mickey Mouse was booed. I've been around when N' Sync was booed, and it stinks. It makes the greatest city in the world lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room ... And if you think I'm going to succumb to negativity, you're wrong. You've got the wrong guy leading this team."
_________________ "Do you realize that even as we sit here, we are hurtling through space at a tremendous rate of speed? Think about it. Our world is just a hanging curveball." -Bill Lee
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:28 am Posts: 28541 Location: PORTLAND, ME
Ozymandias wrote:
I time-traveled to find a transcript of a press conference he's going to hold in 4 years:
"You're the people being negative, and some of the fans. Shaquille O'Neal is not walking through that door. Penny Hardaway is not walking through that door. Tracy McGrady is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through the door, they're going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we're going to improve. People don't realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that lockerroom playing their asses off.
I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can't. The only thing we can do is work hard. And all this negativity that's in this town sucks.
I've been around when Mickey Mouse was booed. I've been around when N' Sync was booed, and it stinks. It makes the greatest city in the world lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room ... And if you think I'm going to succumb to negativity, you're wrong. You've got the wrong guy leading this team."
the only thing i'd change is that it will be in 2 or 3 years
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:59 am Posts: 18643 Location: Raleigh, NC Gender: Male
EllisEamos wrote:
Ozymandias wrote:
I time-traveled to find a transcript of a press conference he's going to hold in 4 years:
"You're the people being negative, and some of the fans. Shaquille O'Neal is not walking through that door. Penny Hardaway is not walking through that door. Tracy McGrady is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through the door, they're going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working, and we're going to improve. People don't realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that lockerroom playing their asses off.
I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can't. The only thing we can do is work hard. And all this negativity that's in this town sucks.
I've been around when Mickey Mouse was booed. I've been around when N' Sync was booed, and it stinks. It makes the greatest city in the world lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room ... And if you think I'm going to succumb to negativity, you're wrong. You've got the wrong guy leading this team."
the only thing i'd change is that it will be in 2 or 3 years
the difference is that Billy already has the stud center to build around. Pitino never got his. That, and he won't be the GM...I don't even know who the Magic GM is....but they almost have to be better than Pitino.
Donovan can always go back to college. Who would say no to that much $$?
_________________ “You’re good kids, stay together. Trust each other and be good teammates to one another. I believe there is a championship in this room.”
-Ernie Accorsi in his final address to the NY Giants locker room before retiring as GM in January of 2007
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:59 am Posts: 18643 Location: Raleigh, NC Gender: Male
Ricardo Tubbs wrote:
the difference is that Billy already has the stud center to build around. Pitino never got his. That, and he won't be the GM...I don't even know who the Magic GM is....but they almost have to be better than Pitino.
Donovan can always go back to college. Who would say no to that much $$?
Oh I don't blame him at all. It's a great chance for him. He'll be coaching the U of Miami in 5 years though
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 1:27 am Posts: 4033 Location: tampa
Athletic Supporter wrote:
Ricardo Tubbs wrote:
the difference is that Billy already has the stud center to build around. Pitino never got his. That, and he won't be the GM...I don't even know who the Magic GM is....but they almost have to be better than Pitino.
Donovan can always go back to college. Who would say no to that much $$?
Oh I don't blame him at all. It's a great chance for him. He'll be coaching the U of Miami in 5 years though
as a magic fan I hope it pans out but in general beyond Dwight they don't have much. They underachieved last year and alot of that had to do with Brain Hill early on and it was pretty damn obvious, guy had no clue what to do in late game situations and therefore they blew the majority of their close games. Donovan knows the game and if he relate to his players he could do a great job but if they can't relate he is doomed.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:54 am Posts: 10731 Location: The back of a Volkswagen
As expected, Anthony Grant (head coach at VCU and former assistant under Donovan at UF) has been contacted about the UF job. I think he'll get an offer. It sucks for VCU, which seems to now be a revolving door for head coaches. Jeff Capel was at VCU for a few years before leaving for Oklahoma, and now it looks like Grant is leaving after one season.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:54 am Posts: 10731 Location: The back of a Volkswagen
Apparently Florida's AD checked his voicemail when he landed in Richmond to talk to Anthony Grant, and he got a message from Billy D saying he wanted them to hold off on hiring a new coach until they talked.
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:47 pm Posts: 9282 Location: Atlanta Gender: Male
Ooops, I think Billy D realized he didn't really want to be in the NBA. He's just upset at being second fiddle to football and that's just tough. Floridians are not going to suddenly start caring more about basketball.
I guess Billy realized throwing out a few McDonalds all-americans against football schools in the SEC is a little easier than actually having to coach 82 nights a year.
_________________ “You’re good kids, stay together. Trust each other and be good teammates to one another. I believe there is a championship in this room.”
-Ernie Accorsi in his final address to the NY Giants locker room before retiring as GM in January of 2007
I think he was crazy for even thinking about going...he's the biggest thing in Gainsville since Steve Spurrier. Granted, its only basketball, but he has the chance to have an incredible legacy at UF...as opposed to getting bounced out of Orlando in 2-3 years, and then having to start all over at some other school, that is nowhere near what UF is.
_________________ "Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires." -- John Steinbeck
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