March 28, 2026, 9:01 a.m. ET
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is one of the names that has floated around since North Carolina opened its head coaching position by firing Hubert Davis, and he did not deny having interest.
Donovan, when asked about his interest in UNC, kept his tone measured and reiterated that he is focused on coaching the Bulls for the rest of the season.
“My main focus is on these guys and this new team,” Donovan said before the Bulls faced the Philadelphia 76ers. “I understand that there’s stuff out there, and I understand that there is going to be certain speculation. But, I have to concentrate on this group, and really, my focus is on what we’re doing here in Chicago, having a game tonight, and traveling to go and play in a back-to-back.”
Before he entered the NBA ranks as head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015, he was one of college basketball’s most high-profile coaches, leading the University of Florida to consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007 and five Final Four appearances.
However, a lot has changed in the 11 years since Donovan left the college game. For starters, NIL came into full effect at the start of the 2021-22 season, and the transfer portal went into effect the season before.
Despite the culture change, North Carolina has solid NIL backing and the national recruiting reach that could allow him to build a championship contender quickly.
“Over the years, I’ve had a lot of college guys reach out to talk to me,” Donovan said. “It’s different in dealing with players who are being paid now. I also think the cycle of the NBA today is totally different than the cycle of college. I’m focused on what I have to do right now. Like anything else, things are always changing in the game of basketball.”
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