The San Antonio Spurs appear poised to add one of basketball's most accomplished coaches to their bench.
Billy Donovan has agreed to become the Spurs' lead assistant coach, according to ESPN. He would replace Sean Sweeney, who left San Antonio after the NBA Finals to become head coach of the Orlando Magic.
If completed, Donovan would give head coach Mitch Johnson one of basketball's most accomplished voices on the bench as the Spurs look to build on a breakthrough season that ended with a trip to the NBA Finals.
Donovan first made a national name for himself as an undersized point guard at Providence College, where coach Rick Pitino dubbed him "Billy the Kid" during the Friars' run to the 1987 Final Four. He played one season with the New York Knicks before beginning a coaching career under Pitino at Kentucky.
After two seasons as head coach at Marshall, Donovan took over at Florida in 1996 and transformed the Gators into one of college basketball's premier programs. He led the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, four Final Four appearances and a 502-206 record before making the jump to the NBA.
Donovan spent 11 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls, compiling a 469-413 regular-season record. He reached the playoffs in each of his five seasons with Oklahoma City and once with Chicago.
Donovan's coaching career earned him induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. He was recognized during Enshrinement Weekend at the NCAA Men's Final Four in San Antonio before the national semifinals at the Alamodome.
Donovan stepped down after six seasons with the Bulls, despite the organization publicly expressing its desire for him to return.
The reported move comes as the Spurs continue reshaping their coaching staff following Gregg Popovich's transition from head coach to president of basketball operations. Popovich, the winningest head coach in NBA history, stepped away from the sidelines after suffering a stroke early in the 2025-26 season. He remained a visible presence throughout the Spurs' playoff run, regularly meeting with players after difficult losses, offering perspective and helping them bounce back.
The move would create a new leadership trio for the Spurs, with Donovan joining Johnson on the bench while Popovich continues shaping the franchise from the front office.
