The Bulls have one other Corridor of Fame coach.
Phil Jackson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame again in 2007 and Jerry Sloan joined that elite membership in 2009.
Doug Collins, who coached the Bulls from 1986-89, entered the Corridor in 2024 as a contributor.
Now, go forward and put Billy Donovan’s title into that unique standing.
Donovan earned the glory on Saturday, becoming a member of the 2025 class after placing his title on the map as a guard for the Windfall Remaining 4 staff in 1987, after which turning to teaching and registering 467 wins for the Florida Gators, in addition to successful back-to-back Nationwide Championships for the college.
Donovan then took his skills to the NBA and Oklahoma Metropolis, posting a 243-157 document, serving to the Thunder attain the Western Convention Finals within the 2015-16 marketing campaign, and incomes the Michael H. Goldberg Co-Coach of the 12 months Award within the 2019-20 season.
He joined the Bulls after he and the Thunder had a mutual parting of the way and has been in that seat for the reason that 2020-21 season.
He was named a finalist earlier this 12 months and came upon his destiny on Friday.
“I used to be at a shootaround they usually stated they had been going to name between 11 AM and a couple of PM, so I had my cellphone with me and we had been ending shootaround, and I used to be able to do an interview with our radio man (Chuck Swirsky), and I regarded down and it stated ‘Corridor of Fame,’ “ Donovan stated on a tv interview. “I stated, ‘OK, that is going to go certainly one of two methods.’ They gave me the information and I used to be clearly thrilled and humbled and extremely grateful.”
In addition to Donovan, the Corridor welcomed in Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, the 2008 U.S. Olympic males’s basketball staff, the WNBA’s Sue Fowl, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, Miami Warmth managing common associate Micky Arison, and longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford.
“From a training perspective, while you’re sitting up right here, you’re actually solely pretty much as good because the individuals round you,” Donovan stated.
Whereas Donovan has solely gotten the Bulls to the playoffs simply as soon as (the 2021-22 season), he may truly be doing his finest teaching job this season, shedding All-Star DeMar DeRozan and All-NBA First Crew Defensive participant Alex Caruso final summer season, after which watching two-time All-Star Zach LaVine shipped out on Feb. 2.
There was an preliminary all-time low after the LaVine deal, because the Bulls misplaced six straight, however they’ve gone 14-13 since LaVine was dealt to Sacramento in a three-team commerce, together with an 11-6 document within the month of March.
All of that coming after Donovan completely modified the offensive type of play from earlier seasons as one which was once extra methodical and making an attempt to concentrate on effectivity to at least one that’s now an up-tempo, run-and-gun offense by which the Bulls entered the day ranked within the prime three in tempo (they had been 28th final 12 months), in addition to one that’s third in three-point makes an attempt (42.2 per recreation) after completed 26th final season (32.1 makes an attempt per recreation).
Donovan already had his jersey retired in February by Windfall, so a season of excellent particular person fortune continues. Donovan simply doesn’t do particular person fortune very properly.
“As you form of look by way of these things, I’ve been lucky that I discovered from an unbelievable coach in Coach (Rick) Pitino, perhaps the most effective one on the market, and he gave me a possibility,” Donovan stated. “I take into consideration the assistant coaches that work with me, gamers that made the choice to return play at Florida, when perhaps at that time and time it wasn’t an ideal deal.
“Sure, it’s a person honor, however there are lots of people that helped me get up to now that I’m grateful to.”
