Billy Donovan Changes His Mind?

[MWM]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2892334

Billy Donovan informed the Magic and the University of Florida over the weekend that he had second thoughts about agreeing to be Orlando's head coach, but it's unclear if the NBA team will let him go.

Orlando has a signed contract from Donovan and are making a decision as to whether or not to let him out of the five-year, $27.5 million deal that he signed Thursday, multiple sources told ESPN.com Sunday.

If the Magic do let Donovan out of the deal, they have to decide whether to enforce a financial penalty. Both sides aren't talking publicly since there are legal issues involved in such a decision.

Donovan's hiring on Thursday prompted the sale of 200 Magic season tickets by Friday afternoon. Magic communications director Joel Glass confirmed that number after Friday's news conference introducing Donovan to a standing ovation from the entire on-site Magic organization at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando. Losing Donovan as coach would likely be a public relations hit to a franchise that needed a pop.

Donovan is coming off winning back-to-back national titles at Florida, the first time that has occurred since Duke did it in 1991-92. Donovan, who turned 42 Wednesday, agonized over the decision to accept the Magic offer after first being approached last week.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley flew to Richmond, Va., on Saturday to meet with Donovan's former assistant, VCU head coach Anthony Grant, about the opening. But multiple sources confirmed that the plane was on the ground for less than an hour. Foley left without Grant aboard.

Over the weekend, multiple sources said Grant was the top choice but that both he and Donovan wanted to make sure that all of their respective staffs were taken care of before any move was made.

Multiple sources said that the decision now rests in the hands of the Magic. A final decision could come as early as Monday.

On Friday, Donovan was emphatic about why he ultimately made the choice. He said that he wanted a new challenge and saw the proximity to his home in Gainesville and the young stars on the Magic roster like Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson as well as $10-13 million in salary cap space as a primary reason for jumping at this job.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

[KronoRed]

For the love of all the is good Billy you have made your choice, let UF move on, dragging this out helps NOBODY.

[George Foster]

He has a signed contract. They sold 200 season tickets after the announcement on Friday. There has to be a financial cost for him backing out of this. This makes him look very bad. As a UK fan....I thank God for unanswered prayers.

I never understood going to the NBA anyway except for money. He has young kids. He will miss a lot of their growing up with all the traveling. They had planned to still live in Gainsville and him in Orlando. What kind of life is that? With that being said, those are the kind of thoughts he SHOULD OF HAD before signing on the dotted line. Wishy Washy is being kind.

[Matt700wlw]

Dan Dakitch did this at Bowling Green back in my Junior year....he could have had the WV job....

The BG basketball program has yet to rebound since he did that.

Obviously the SEC isn't the MAC, but I'm not so sure the players take the coach too seriously after a situation like that.

[KronoRed]

Obviously the SEC isn't the MAC, but I'm not so sure the players take the coach too seriously after a situation like that.

Exactly, also how do you recruit when every other coach can say "Well he left once he'll do it again"

[KronoRed]

Orlando paper reporting the Magic will let him go.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...ostemailedlink

Dave Curtis and Lynn Hoppes | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 4, 2007, 2:19 AM EDT

The Orlando Magic today will allow Billy Donovan out of his 5-year, $27.5 million contract that he signed on Friday.

"It's over," said a source close to the situation.

Donovan had reservations about leaving the Florida Gators for the NBA on Friday and spent all weekend trying to find a way to get out of his contract. On Saturday, Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith went to Gainesville to try to convince Donovan to honor the deal. Smith talked with Donovan again on Sunday, and so did Magic President Bob Vander Weide.

Unless Donovan wakes up today and changes his mind, the Magic will let him go, the source said.

Almost everyone at Florida, from people on his staff to other NBA coaches to even his wife, told Donovan to go to the Magic -- but after Friday's emotional news conference in Gainesville, he started thinking he might have made a mistake. That was the first time he even mentioned there being a problem.

The Sentinel visited Donovan's house early this morning, and UF assistant basketball coach Larry Shyatt answered the door. He said Donovan would not comment.

"You guys can't talk to him now," Shyatt said.

Messages left with UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley on Sunday were not returned. UF spokesman Fred Demarest said Sunday night that the school would have no comment. Messages left for Magic officials -- Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins and General Manager Otis Smith -- were not returned.

Donovan was hired as Magic head coach Thursday and introduced in his new job Friday, the end of a weeklong Magic courtship. Donovan appeared confident in his decision in news conferences in Gainesville and in Orlando, but things changed.

Foley flew to Richmond, Va., on Saturday to interview Anthony Grant, the Virginia Commonwealth University coach. Grant is a former Gators assistant and the leading candidate to replace Donovan.

But that meeting never happened -- Foley flew away from Richmond after learning of Donovan's second thoughts before the athletic director even left the airport's grounds.

That's when the Magic's Smith leaped into action. He went up to Gainesville to try to convince Donovan he was making the right decision. But Donovan still was waffling.

That's why Grant, who was the front-runner and was looking to make $6 million over 5 years at Florida, issued a statement Sunday night saying he has had no in-person contact with UF officials and hasn't received an offer to be Florida's head coach.

"I have been contacted by the University of Florida regarding their coaching vacancy," the statement said. "I have not had any in-person contact with any Florida representative, nor have I been offered the job.

"At this point in time, I will have no further comment on this situation as my focus is on my responsibilities at VCU."

Grant, who emerged Thursday as the top and seemingly lone candidate to replace Donovan, spoke with several Rams recruits and their coaches Thursday and Friday to prepare them for his possible departures.

Donovan did not attend Florida's boys basketball camp, which started Sunday afternoon on campus. He was at home trying to find guidance on his future.

Several members of his staff, including Shyatt, ran the camp. In his news conferences Friday, Donovan said Shyatt would join him with the Magic. In fact, Donovan talked with the Magic about Shyatt's new contract that afternoon.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, reached at home early this morning, said he had heard nothing about Donovan possibly backing out of the deal. After learning of the report from a Sentinel reporter, Dyer said he still had no comment.

Nick Calathes and Chandler Parsons, high-profile recruits from Lake Howell High School who signed with the Gators, had communicated with each other late Sunday night but indicated they had not heard from UF's coaching staff.

It's unclear whether the Magic will ask for a settlement to allow Donovan to break his contract. It's also unclear where the Magic will be turning to now, but the second choice behind Donovan had always been ex-Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy.

Sarah Langbein of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Dave Curtis can be reached at dcurtis@orlandosentinel.com.

[RFS62]

Wow. What an idiot.

[MWM]

This makes me lose a lot respect for Donovan. What could he have possibly learned AFTER signing the contract that he couldn't have known before.

[BoxingRed]

This makes me lose a lot respect for Donovan. What could he have possibly learned AFTER signing the contract that he couldn't have known before.

Maybe he wised up and talked to Pitino who was probably using everything but semaphore to tell him that it was a mistake.

[dabvu2498]

Maybe he wised up and talked to Pitino who was probably using everything but semaphore to tell him that it was a mistake.

Pitino, Calipari, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd, PJ Carlesimo, Jerry Tarkanian, Lon Kruger, Leonard Hamilton...

[RFS62]

Seems to me that it may have been more about the money than the challenge, but who knows.

How much money do you really need? He's worshipped at Gainesville, and can go out of there a legend. And he's making some pretty good jack there, anyway.

[Hoosier Red]

Just curious what makes you lose respect for him because of this?

By all accounts, he agonized over the decision in the first place, he thought he had made the right call but then had second thoughts.
Rather than go through the season,take the Magic's money for a job he really isn't sure he wants to take. He tells them when he has a change of heart.

Now they can get a coach who is 100% committed to making them a winner.

Also, I don't think this will hurt him in recruiting at all.
The Magic were the perfect NBA situation for him. If he didn't take that job, no one else need apply.

[Unassisted]

Here endeth Billy D's chances of getting a call about any other NBA openings in this decade. That's really quite stunning. Should make an interesting book chapter someday.

[dabvu2498]

Just curious what makes you lose respect for him because of this?

He signed a contract. At that point, the "change of heart" business should be done with.

[15fan]

Georgia Tech went through the same thing with Bobby Cremins & South Carolina (his alma mater) over a decade ago.

Cremins never righted the GT ship after the going/staying fiasco.

This is precisely why you think long & hard before you sign anything.

Especially if there are mega-dollars involved.

If you want to go, then go.

But once you go, you can never go back.

It's like getting back together with an ex. 99.99% of the time, it's a horrible idea. For everyone.

Coaches from around the country are going to wear this out when they find out a kid they are recruiting is also considering playing for Billy Donovan at UF.