How Billy Donovan Will Take the Thunder Back to the Finals
Billy Donovan, one of the best coaches in college basketball, is taking on a new challenge in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Donovan was named the head coach of the Thunder on April 30th , 2015 by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Both NBA and college basketball fans are looking forward to seeing what Billy Donovan can do with this team. Donovan joins the company of Brad Stevens and Fred Hoiberg, all highly successful recent college coaches making the jump to the NBA.
Leaving Behind a Legacy
Donovan left Gainesville after 19 years leading the Gators. When he took over at the University of Florida in 1996, the team went 13-17 and then 14-15 to start his first two seasons. After that, The Gators won 20+ games for 16 straight seasons. The Gators would make 14 NCAA Tournament appearances in 16 seasons starting in 1999. The Gators won back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2006 & 2007, made it to 4 NCAA Final Fours (2000, 2006, 2007, 2014),and won the SEC Regular Season Championship 6 times (2000, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014). In addition, Donovan was named SEC Coach of the Year 3 times, won the Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award in 2006, and was named the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award winner in 2010. Donovan won 502 games as a college head coach, including 35 as the head coach at Marshall and 467 at Florida. He has more wins than any other coach at UF and has led the Gators to more conference wins and championships than all other former UF coaches combined.
The Playing Days
Donovan was recruited to Providence by Coach Joseph Mullaney, who was the head coach for the Friars for 18 years in two stints (1955 – 1969 & 1981 – 1985). In 1985, Rick Pitino took over as head coach of the Friars and had an immediate impact coaching the Friars to the 1987 Final Four. Donovan was a point guard on the team and is one of only four men in NCAA history to appear in the Final Four as a player and win the NCAA National Championship as a coach. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz and played both in the CBA and NBA for two seasons before joining Rick Pitino at Kentucky as an assistant.
What Donovan Will Bring to OKC
The Thunder had a great run under Scott Brooks winning 338 games from 2008 to 2015. In 2009-2010, the Thunder made the playoffs as an 8 seed and pushed the Lakers to a 6 game series. The next season, the Thunder increased their win total to 55 and made the playoffs as a 4 seed. The next 3 seasons, the Thunder didn’t finish lower than 2nd in the Western Conference, but couldn’t win an NBA Championship. They came close, losing to Miami in 2011-2012 in the NBA Finals.
With the injuries to Durant and a down year in 2014-2015, Sam Presti figured it was time to make a change. With the hiring of Donovan, the Thunder are bringing in a proven coach that will no doubt raise the energy and excitement around the franchise. Many are asking, what if Durant and Westbrook leave? Even if that happens, the Thunder have to feel comfortable with the coach that will lead them into the future.
Donovan will hire assistants that have NBA experience, and he will take on a stacked roster of stars and solid role players. His mission will be to lead OKC back to the playoffs and to the NBA Finals. Just as all of the NBA teams do, the Thunder will continue to use two-man actions and ball-screen plays. However, expect Donovan to make his mark with efficient horns set plays, a streamlined transition attack, and a spread pick & roll game to create scoring opportunities for Durant and Westbrook.
Recruiting
Heralded as a top recruiter in college basketball, Donovan has several former players currently in the NBA. These include: Bradley Beal, Matt Bonner, Corey Brewer, Udonis Haslem, Al Horford, David Lee, Mike Miller, Joakim Noah, Chandler Parsons, & Marreese Speights. Not to mention, Donovan has served as head coach of USA Basketball’s U18 and U19 National Teams for the past three years creating countless relationships with current NBA stars. He won three gold medals with USAB and compiled a 19-0 record. He shouldn’t have a problem getting players that want to play for him in OKC. He’s great at getting the most out of his players as well, so this plays right into the OKC Thunder mentality.
Horns
Billy Donovan Horns Set
In this Gators horns play from Men’s Basketball Hoop Scoop contributor Dana Beszczynski, Donovan uses a nice screen the screener action to get the ball inside to the post. This could be a scary action having Westbrook coming around the quick pass to the high post full speed.
Gators Horns Reverse Out
This play, contributed to the Fast Model Plays & Drills Library by Randy Sherman, once again uses the horns set with a quick pass and pass back to the point guard. As mentioned in the first play, Westbrook coming around the corner on the post pass back could be a tough action to defend. In addition, if this is Durant setting the screen and popping for a shot or sending Durant across the baseline double-screen it is going to give defenses fits.
Hook Back
This play was contributed to Fast Model by Kyle Gilreath. In option 1, 1 passes to 3 off the down screen then makes a cut around 5’s back-screen. 3 then moves directly into a pick and roll situation at the top of the key. In option 2, 1 tries to set a rub-screen on x5. If 1 can get a piece of the defender, he puts the defense in a tough spot as 5 sprints directly into the ball-screen at the top of the key.
Elbow Pin Elevator
Another play from Kyle Gilreath, 1 passes to 4 at the high post then screens for 3 in the corner. 4 passes back to 1 on the wing then 4 and 5 set an elevator screen for 3. Good luck getting your defender chasing Durant to get through the screen from OKC’s bigs.
Horns Ball-Screen
Featured in the Ultimate Horns Playbook, this horns play utilizes an initial down-screen/back-screen option for a quick lob look to start the play. If the lob isn’t there, a high pick-and-roll is set for 3. The constant movement and screening will help the Thunder execute on offense this upcoming season. To view the article, click here: Billy Donovan Florida Gators Horns Set Play
Transition
Gators Cross Double Drag
This play was posted to Men’s Basketball Hoop Scoop by Adam Spinella and uses a horns set play out of Donovan’s fast-moving transition attack. 1 dribbles up the left side of the floor as 2 and 3 switch spots on the baseline and 4 sets a quick cross-screen for 5. 5 sprints directly into a ball-screen with 4 following close behind. The action puts immediate stress on the post defenders trying to cover the cross-screen and the ball-screen at the same time. To view the article, click here: Billy Donovan Florida Gators Cross Double Drag
Billy Donovan Spread PNR Notes
These notes, provided by Gibson Pyper, dives into Donovan’s offensive philosophy and transition attack.
Click the link below to download the pdf!
Billy Donovan Spread PNR Notes
Florida Gators Post Cross Play
This play, featured on Hoops Chalk Talk, starts in a 4 flat set and would give any given player on the Thunder some room to make a play. In frame 2, this could be a perfect way to get Ibaka sprinting out of a screen into a ball-screen on the wing for a guard. To view the article, click here: Florida Gators Post Cross Play
Click the link below to download the pdf!
Florida Gators Post Cross Play
Video Playbook
This video by Gibson Pyper gives a great look into the various actions that Donovan could use with the Thunder. The PNR series is something that he will definitely make use of, but you’ll also see a lot of his over/under series and horns plays used in this video. The pdf playbook is also included below.
Are We Surprised?
Coach Peterman predicted it again… Having a great pulse on the game, he had a feeling that Donovan was close to making the jump to the pros back in February (read here). Peterman even stated, “I would give Coach Billy Donovan another look if I was an NBA GM.”
Presti got the memo, and we can all look forward to the success that Donovan and the Thunder will have in the coming years.
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