Report: Kentucky Reached Out To Billy Donovan About Its Coaching Vacancy But ‘He Decided Not To Pursue’

According to multiple media outlets, the University of Kentucky (UK) reached out to former Florida Gators and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan about the vacant coaching position at UK following the departure of John Calipari to the NBA. However, Donovan reportedly decided against pursuing the opportunity to return to college basketball and instead chose to stay with the Thunder.

Donovan had a successful tenure at UK from 1994 to 2000, leading the Wildcats to four consecutive Sweet Sixteens and one national championship in 1998. After leaving UK for the NBA, he spent 13 seasons as head coach of the Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and most recently, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Meanwhile, UK has reportedly chosen Mark Pope as its new head coach. Pope currently serves as the head coach at Brigham Young University (BYU) and has been with the Cougars since 2018. Prior to joining BYU, he spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Nevada and Saint Mary's.

Under Pope's leadership, BYU reached the NCAA Tournament in both 2021 and 2022. The Cougars finished the 2021-22 season with a 25-10 record and advanced to the second round of the tournament before being eliminated by North Carolina.

The hiring of Pope marks a return to the SEC for the former Nevada and Saint Mary's assistant. He played college basketball at LSU from 1995 to 1999 and was a member of the Tigers' SEC championship team in 1996.

The official announcement of Pope's hiring at UK is expected in the coming days. The Wildcats are coming off a 21-13 season and a second-round NCAA Tournament exit. They lost head coach John Calipari to the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in April.

Donovan's decision not to pursue the UK coaching vacancy comes as a surprise to some, as he has a strong connection to the program and the state of Kentucky. However, he has expressed his desire to continue coaching in the NBA and has reportedly been in discussions with several teams about potential openings.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding UK's coaching search, Pope's hiring appears to be a solid choice for the Wildcats. He has a proven track record of success at the college level and has experience in a high-pressure conference like the SEC. With his connections to the SEC and UK, Pope is poised to lead the Wildcats back to prominence in college basketball.

In conclusion, UK reached out to Billy Donovan about its coaching vacancy following John Calipari's departure to the NBA. However, Donovan decided against pursuing the opportunity and instead chose to stay with the Thunder. UK has reportedly hired Mark Pope as its new head coach. Pope has a successful track record at the college level and has experience in the SEC. The official announcement of his hiring is expected in the coming days.