Gator Great Taurean Green joining Todd Golden's staff
Todd Golden is adding a link from the Billy Donovan era of Florida Basketball with the addition of Taurean Green to his first staff.
Speaking on the Field of 68 podcast, Golden revealed that he plans to hire Green as the Gators’ director of player development.
“We’re going to bring in Taurean Green to be our director of player development, which I’m really, really excited about. We’re going to bring him after the season’s over, I hope they go win the title,” Golden said. We haven’t announced him yet, but he was super. Billy was super on board with it and he thought it was a great idea to bring back somebody that really understood what made Florida great.”
Golden also revealed that he has spoken to Donovan, calling him “amazing.” The Gators’ new head coach has not shied away from the expectations that Donovan created in Gainesville. Instead, he hopes to be able to use Donavon as a resource.
“I was hired on a Friday and called him Saturday,” Golden said. “I told him, I want to learn from you. Tell me what made you successful there. I think he’s a guy, he said Todd, I’ll help you as much as you want or as little as you want. I’m here as a resource for you. We’ve ended up talking three or four times.”
Green ran the Gators during back-to-back championships
Green ran the point for Billy Donovan and the back-to-back National Champions in 2006 and 2007. He scored 1,174 points during his career and doled out 400 assists. Green was the motor than ran the best teams the Gators have ever had on the hardwood.
“Billy was super on board with it and he thought it was a great idea to bring back somebody who really understood what made Florida great,” Golden said on the podcast. “That team won a National Championship. Joakim Noah was supposed to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and he comes back. I mean, that’s all you need to know.”
Green was drafted in the second round by the Portland Trailblazers but spent most of his professional career overseas. Green recently retired from professional basketball and joined Donavon in Chicago. He is currently the director of player development for Donavon’s Chicago Bulls. Green will remian with the Bulls for the rest of the 2021-22 season. He will join the Gators’ staff after and get right to work.
