Billy Donovan stands on the court named after him at halftime of Saturday night's game against Vanderbilt. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
A Coach and Night to Cherish Forever
Saturday, February 15, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The moment had arrived and the 54-year-old NBA coach took the microphone. A sellout crowd at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center hushed to hear what he had to say.
And then Billy Donovan, standing on the court freshly christened in his honor, brought the house down in his humble way.
"This is extremely emotional, so I hope I can keep it together,'' he opened.
By that time, it was already too late for those with watery eyes following the presentation of an emotional video that included tributes from many of Donovan's former players, assistant coaches and colleagues. Over the next three minutes, in classic Billy D fashion, he thanked others for much of his success in reshaping the Gators men's basketball program during his unprecedented 19-year run as head coach, including back-to-back national championships.
Near the end, he offered an earnest thanks to the fans and local community for making this place home.
"When you look down on the court, see your name down there as well, because you're just as big a part of it as anybody else,'' Donovan told the crowd.
There have been countless great moments in the history of an arena that hosted its first men's basketball game on Dec. 30, 1980, but it's difficult to imagine any being more heartfelt than the lovefest that took place on Saturday night as "Billy Donovan Court" was unveiled during Florida's 84-66 runaway victory over Vanderbilt.
On this night, the game took second billing. A favorite son returned home for a hero's welcome.
Donovan was joined by so many who helped make it happen, including 28 former players and some of the biggest names in UF basketball history: Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Bradley Beal to name a few. Other notables included Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, who sat next to UF athletic director Scott Stricklin during the game, and UF president Kent Fuchs and former president Bernie Machen. Gators football coach Dan Mullen and UF ambassador Steve Spurrier also attended.
"Coach has done so much for a lot of his players but also the University of Florida,'' said Horford, who is in his 13th season in the NBA. "Everything he's done, tonight is a night to celebrate him."
In a pregame reception to honor Donovan, no matter where you looked, Donovan was hugging a familiar face from the past. Former Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley, who hired Donovan in 1996 and watched him lead the program to unforeseen heights, beamed as he made the rounds in the room.
Lasting images were everywhere. Look, over there is former assistant Larry Shyatt getting a bear hug from Noah. There's Donovan hugging former guard Justin Hamilton, a member of Donovan's first Final Four team at Florida in 2000. And check that out, that's Dorian Finney-Smith and Chris Chiozza mingling with Patric Young and Erik Murphy.
It was an iPhone kind of event, all in the name of Billy D.
"He's one of the best I ever played for, if not right at the top,'' Beal said. "Our relationship was father-son to me, more that than coach-player. I respected his values of challenging me as a man and a person. From day one, he said you are going to have to earn everything. That's what lured me and that's what drew me. To be here, and I haven't been here in a long time, it's awesome to see so many familiar faces."
Donovan took a break from the festivities to speak with the media prior to tip-off, his first game back since leaving after the 2014-15 season to become head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He spoke from the heart when trying to express what the honor meant to him.
"Obviously it's real emotional for me and I'm really humbled,'' he said. "For me, I've always said this, it takes a lot of people to really contribute and help. I look at my name and there's another name I could think of that would go right next to my name, from Anthony Grant to John Pelphrey to Larry Shyatt to Brad Beal to Al Horford to Joakim Noah to Jeremy Foley to Jamie McCloskey to Tom Williams. Everybody contributed. I'm just thankful that I was around such great people."
They are grateful they entered Donovan's orbit.
Finney-Smith, in his fourth season with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, returned to campus rather than take time off or spend the weekend at the NBA All-Star game. He recalled how after he transferred to Florida from Virginia Tech following his sophomore season, Donovan and his wife Christine accepted him into their own family.
As he sat out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Finney-Smith could not travel to road games.
"His wife invited me over. I would watch every road game at his house. My years at Florida we bonded well. I just respect the man he is,'' Finney-Smith said. "Everybody's story is different, but he had his touch on everybody in this room. Even when I see these guys outside this room, because of Coach D, we've got that bond."
Donovan arrived in town on Friday afternoon and got a private tour of the revamped O'Dome and his name on the court Friday night. That helped keep his emotions under control during Saturday night's ceremony. He also took time to speak to the current team at the invitation of Gators coach Mike White.
The magnitude of the weekend likely won't settle in until he has time to reflect after the NBA season.
"I never would have thought of anything like this,'' he said. "To be honored in this way and then have so many people come back and be part of it and share in it, it really means the world to me, because everyone's got busy schedules and lives. And for people to come in and to be able to catch up with them and see them has been great.
"It's extremely humbling. I tried to work as hard as I could to help the program, help the university. But again, my name is down there but a lot of people really, really helped me."
He helped them, too. They turned out Saturday to make sure he knew how much.
And then Billy Donovan, standing on the court freshly christened in his honor, brought the house down in his humble way.
"This is extremely emotional, so I hope I can keep it together,'' he opened.
By that time, it was already too late for those with watery eyes following the presentation of an emotional video that included tributes from many of Donovan's former players, assistant coaches and colleagues. Over the next three minutes, in classic Billy D fashion, he thanked others for much of his success in reshaping the Gators men's basketball program during his unprecedented 19-year run as head coach, including back-to-back national championships.
Near the end, he offered an earnest thanks to the fans and local community for making this place home.
"When you look down on the court, see your name down there as well, because you're just as big a part of it as anybody else,'' Donovan told the crowd.
Look who made it back to the Swamp tonight 🙌#GatorsHoop pic.twitter.com/xriMma12SH
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 16, 2020
There have been countless great moments in the history of an arena that hosted its first men's basketball game on Dec. 30, 1980, but it's difficult to imagine any being more heartfelt than the lovefest that took place on Saturday night as "Billy Donovan Court" was unveiled during Florida's 84-66 runaway victory over Vanderbilt.
On this night, the game took second billing. A favorite son returned home for a hero's welcome.
Donovan was joined by so many who helped make it happen, including 28 former players and some of the biggest names in UF basketball history: Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Bradley Beal to name a few. Other notables included Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, who sat next to UF athletic director Scott Stricklin during the game, and UF president Kent Fuchs and former president Bernie Machen. Gators football coach Dan Mullen and UF ambassador Steve Spurrier also attended.
"Coach has done so much for a lot of his players but also the University of Florida,'' said Horford, who is in his 13th season in the NBA. "Everything he's done, tonight is a night to celebrate him."
In a pregame reception to honor Donovan, no matter where you looked, Donovan was hugging a familiar face from the past. Former Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley, who hired Donovan in 1996 and watched him lead the program to unforeseen heights, beamed as he made the rounds in the room.
Lasting images were everywhere. Look, over there is former assistant Larry Shyatt getting a bear hug from Noah. There's Donovan hugging former guard Justin Hamilton, a member of Donovan's first Final Four team at Florida in 2000. And check that out, that's Dorian Finney-Smith and Chris Chiozza mingling with Patric Young and Erik Murphy.
It was an iPhone kind of event, all in the name of Billy D.
"He's one of the best I ever played for, if not right at the top,'' Beal said. "Our relationship was father-son to me, more that than coach-player. I respected his values of challenging me as a man and a person. From day one, he said you are going to have to earn everything. That's what lured me and that's what drew me. To be here, and I haven't been here in a long time, it's awesome to see so many familiar faces."
Sights & sounds from today's 🐊 reunion ⬇️⬇️⬇️#GatorsHoop pic.twitter.com/6KKi5XRSfE
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 16, 2020
Donovan took a break from the festivities to speak with the media prior to tip-off, his first game back since leaving after the 2014-15 season to become head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He spoke from the heart when trying to express what the honor meant to him.
"Obviously it's real emotional for me and I'm really humbled,'' he said. "For me, I've always said this, it takes a lot of people to really contribute and help. I look at my name and there's another name I could think of that would go right next to my name, from Anthony Grant to John Pelphrey to Larry Shyatt to Brad Beal to Al Horford to Joakim Noah to Jeremy Foley to Jamie McCloskey to Tom Williams. Everybody contributed. I'm just thankful that I was around such great people."
They are grateful they entered Donovan's orbit.
Finney-Smith, in his fourth season with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, returned to campus rather than take time off or spend the weekend at the NBA All-Star game. He recalled how after he transferred to Florida from Virginia Tech following his sophomore season, Donovan and his wife Christine accepted him into their own family.
As he sat out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Finney-Smith could not travel to road games.
"His wife invited me over. I would watch every road game at his house. My years at Florida we bonded well. I just respect the man he is,'' Finney-Smith said. "Everybody's story is different, but he had his touch on everybody in this room. Even when I see these guys outside this room, because of Coach D, we've got that bond."
Donovan arrived in town on Friday afternoon and got a private tour of the revamped O'Dome and his name on the court Friday night. That helped keep his emotions under control during Saturday night's ceremony. He also took time to speak to the current team at the invitation of Gators coach Mike White.
The magnitude of the weekend likely won't settle in until he has time to reflect after the NBA season.
"I never would have thought of anything like this,'' he said. "To be honored in this way and then have so many people come back and be part of it and share in it, it really means the world to me, because everyone's got busy schedules and lives. And for people to come in and to be able to catch up with them and see them has been great.
"It's extremely humbling. I tried to work as hard as I could to help the program, help the university. But again, my name is down there but a lot of people really, really helped me."
He helped them, too. They turned out Saturday to make sure he knew how much.
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