Billy Donovan Just Got a Massive, Unexpected Vote of Confidence originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As a new campaign approaches, the Hall of Famer is seeing a whole lot of commas and zeroes — perhaps surprisingly.
The start of the 2025-26 NBA season will mark one full decade for Billy Donovan coaching pro hoops. Indeed, the 60-year-old Long Island native has officially come quite a long way since he stormed onto the scene with the Florida Gators in 1996 as the slicked-back upstart dubbed “Billy the Kid.”
Nearly 30 years, two NCAA national championships, 438 NBA wins, and one Basketball Hall of Fame induction later, Donovan has shown zero signs of slowing down.
And on Sunday, we learned in no uncertain terms that his trademark tirelessness is not lost on Chicago Bulls front office bosses Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley.
As first reported by ESPN insider Shams Charania, Billy Donovan has agreed to a contract extension with the six-time NBA champions.
It was widely reported earlier this summer that Donovan was among the candidates the New York Knicks were considering to replace the ousted Tom Thibodeau. The rumors were disabused when Leon Rose and Co. opted for two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown.
That made the calculus in the Windy City that much simpler.
Despite an admittedly uninspiring stretch — the Bulls have not made the postseason since 2021-22, Donovan’s second season at the helm after relocating from the Oklahoma City Thunder — Billy D is officially on board for his sixth season at the United Center.
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Billy Donovan Stats
NBA
- GAMES: 800
- REGULAR SEASON W/L: 438-362
- PLAYOFF APPEARANCES: 6
- PLAYOFF W/L: 19-27
NCAA
- GAMES: 708
- TOTAL W/L: 502-206
- SEC REGULAR SEASON TITLES: 6
- SEC TOURNAMENT TITLES: 4
- NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES: 14
- FINAL FOURS: 4
- NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2
1995 SoCon Coach of the Year
3x SEC Coach of the Year
2006 Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award
2010 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award
NBCA Coach of the Year
Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.