Did the Thunder make the right move with this one?
After failing to miss the playoffs for the second time under in the Scott Brooks era, the Oklahoma City Thunder decided to part wayswith their sideline play-maker. This didn’t sit well with either Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook, as both took to social media to voice their support for the person who helped them develop into men and superstars in the NBA. Thunder GM, Sam Presti has already been under an intense microscope of losing both stars in free agency through the next two years and had to react fast with signing a sexy name on the market.
Initially, Connecticut Huskies Men’s Basketball Coach and former teammate of the superstars, Kevin Ollie was the frontrunner to land the job, but he decided to stay with the secure job in the tri-state. This promoted Presit and the rest of the Thunder organization to aggressively pursuit now former Florida Gators Men’s Basketball Head Coach, Billy Donovan. Donovan, who spent the last 19 years as coach in the sunshine state, won two National Championships and appeared in numerous Final Fours. Various staffers among the Donovan Gators regime have been brought to Oklahoma to help out under the new look they’re going for moving forward.
Following his first losing season in since 1998, where he failed to win 20 games for the first time in over 18 years, Donovan initially agreed to a one-year contract extension in December; but has now agreed to a five-year (undisclosed amount) contract to coach the Thunder. We initially expected a hiring of Tom Thibodeau, after his imminent firing in Chicago next month, but OKC has made a major move to hopefully secure both Durant and Westbrook’s confidence in an upcoming new healthy season together.
Billy Donovan is signing a five-year contract with the Thunder, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) April 30, 2015
