Report reveals 'growing momentum' Billy Donovan could step down as Chicago Bulls head coach

With the Chicago Bulls’ season winding down, there appear to be questions about whether Billy Donovan will return as head coach. The franchise made multiple moves at the NBA trade deadline as part of a roster overhaul and sits squarely in the lottery once again with a 29-42 record.

Change may be coming, though. There is “growing momentum” that Donovan could step down after this season, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported.

Cowley cited a range of factors that might impact Donovan, in addition to where the Bulls stand as a franchise. The Hall of Fame head coach’s father, Bill Sr., passed away last month, shortly after Donovan’s mother-in-law’s passing. That’s why there’s speculation he could take a year off if he leaves the Bulls.

“There’s been growing momentum around the building that Donovan could step away from the mess and take a season to reevaluate what he wants from the profession,” Cowley wrote. “It would make sense considering how emotional the year has been for the Hall of Famer, losing both his father and mother-in-law within weeks of each other.”

Donovan took over the Bulls in 2020-21 after the franchise’s last complete overhaul, which brought president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley to Chicago. After revamping the roster in 2021-22, the Bulls got hot and were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference before injuries mounted.

Chicago still made the playoffs, but fell to the Boston Celtics. That’s still the Bulls’ most recent postseason appearance outside of the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Prior to his arrival in Chicago, Donovan spent five seasons as the Oklahoma City Thunder head coach. The franchise made the playoffs each year of his tenure, notably making a run to the Western Conference Finals in his debut season in 2015-16. Donovan stepped down after the 2019-20 season after failing to reach a contract extension with the Thunder.

Of course, before heading to the NBA, Donovan put together a Hall of Fame coaching career at the college level, most notably at Florida. He led the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007 while amassing a 467-186 overall record in Gainesville. That includes a 200-110 record in SEC play, as well as four Final Four appearances.

In 2024, Billy Donovan’s name came up in connection with the Kentucky head coach position after John Calipari left for Arkansas. He he didn’t have any contact with UK at the time reaffirmed his commitment to the Bulls. He later signed a multi-year contract extension with Chicago in 2025.