For every college basketball fan wishing for a regime change, your prayers might be answered in the best possible way.
Billy Donovan will be the most desirable candidate when the coaching carousel starts next year. With the Orlando Magic reportedly hiring San Antonio Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney, that likely closes the door on Donovan staying in the NBA. He has now failed with two pro teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Chicago Bulls. If he wants to coach in 2027-28, he will probably need to do so at the college level.
In many ways, it’s the ideal time for Donovan to return. The sport’s two biggest jobs could be open in the near future. Kentucky’s Mark Pope is under the gun after the Wildcats underachieved despite their expensive roster. If he doesn’t show signs of progress to an extremely demanding fan base, he’ll be gone. In Kansas, speculation had circulated that Bill Self was considering retirement before he announced in April that he would be back.
Regardless of whether it’s Kentucky, Kansas, or anywhere else, some school will make Donovan an offer he can’t refuse.
A lot has changed since he left Florida, where he coached the Gators to back-to-back national championships. He hasn’t worked on a campus since 2015. However, you could argue that the current college landscape suits his strengths better than ever. Donovan has long been known as a dogged recruiter who knows how to find the right players to succeed.
There was speculation that Donovan could have had the North Carolina job, but the Tar Heels didn’t want to wait until the end of the NBA regular season. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll never know. Now, Donovan will have a full year to assess which college best suits him. Schools will also have time to put together their best pitch.
NIL and the transfer portal have made college basketball more unpredictable. To succeed, you must adapt to these changes while navigating the nuances of college. Donovan has experience in both college and pro, which should work to his advantage. He could quickly assemble the roster he wants and, theoretically, build a contender on the fly.
Some executives believe Billy Donovan could be intrigued by the idea of coaching the University of Kentucky, if he takes a year off.
Kentucky pursued Donovan before hiring Mark Pope, who enters next season on the hot seat.
Donovan began his coaching career at Kentucky in 1989. pic.twitter.com/ermnBk9qJJ
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 21, 2026
Donovan’s availability puts pressure on one coach in particular. It’s reasonable to speculate about Pope’s status. He has been okay, but that’s not good enough at Kentucky. Pope, a member of the Wildcats’ 1996 NCAA title team, is likable, though some question whether he’s the right fit. Kentucky is a big job that requires a big personality to keep the program consistently in contention.
Donovan checks all the boxes, and the school tried to lure him when the job was last open in 2024. He’s a big star with championship credentials and served as an assistant to Rick Pitino at Kentucky. He might be the best chance to bring the programs back to prominence. The Wildcats haven’t won the regular-season SEC crown since 2019-20 and haven’t returned to the Final Four since 2015.
For Kentucky, that’s a long, long time.
But perhaps Donovan wants a different challenge. He’ll have several options, assuming he wants to return to the college game. His presence will loom throughout the upcoming season.
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