Having made his way to the NBA via the college coaching ranks, Billy Donovan has a unique perspective as one of the few head coaches who has enjoyed success at both levels.
Before being hired as Scott Brooks’ successor, Donovan plied his trade in the NCAA, serving as the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Florida. Under his leadership, the Gators won back-to-back NCAA Division I championships, becoming the first team to do so since Mike Krzyzewski led the Duke Blue Devils to the same accomplishment in 1991 and 1992.
Eventually, Donovan would assume the helm in Oklahoma City in 2015 and since then, has compiled a 392-239 record. The club has made the playoffs each of his four seasons and advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2016 where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in seven games.
As the NBA’s suspension of play continues, on Friday, Donovan was a guest on the NABC Championship Basketball Webinar Series. After his presentation, he answered questions for nearly an hour, including fielding inquiries related to the decisions of Jalen Green and Isiah Todd to take their talents to the G League rather than the NCAA.
While some point to the financial incentive behind skipping the collegiate ranks as reason for the prep stars to turn pro, others have mentioned the difference in developmental opportunities as a potential catalyst.
Donovan — who has the unique perspective of experiencing success on both levels — has seen the college game come under attack, and he shared his thoughts, which were reported by Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about some of the players that are going from high school now right to the G League and what that might do to college basketball,” Donovan said. “… I think some players are looking at it from a development standpoint that, ‘If I go into the G League, I’m playing NBA rules, I can learn the NBA game, I’m going to grow and mature quicker in that kind of environment.’ And there’s some truth to that. But this idea that college coaches can’t develop players, I don’t agree with that. Or, ‘The NBA is the only place you can develop players,’ I don’t agree with that…
“What I do agree with, is the NBA game is different than the college game, and if a player makes a decision to (skip college), he’s basically learning the NBA game, he’s learning the spacing, he’s learning things he can and can’t do, and the way — it’s four quarters, it’s 12 minutes, there’s a lot of possessions, it’s a 24-second shot clock, there’s no zoning rule, you can’t get a lot of help in certain situations — it’s a different game. So, people can sit there and say, ‘OK, if you’re putting yourself in a position where you’re in the NBA game, you probably have a chance to develop at a really high level in that NBA game.’”
Without question, the coach raises a great point. Players who excel at the collegiate level and immediately have a positive impact in the NBA are the exception, not the rule. Many “late bloomers” have taken one or two years to adjust to the NBA game, and that’s probably not a coincidence.
The coach sees a simple solution.
“I do think the college game should adopt some of the things that the NBA does,” Donovan said.