National reporters do not expect Billy Donovan to be Kentucky's next coach

The unofficial answers are starting to roll in regarding Kentucky‘s head coaching search with guys like Jay Wright, Nate Oats and Dan Hurley publicly commenting on the vacancy — all with varying levels of ‘no.’

What about Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, the program’s golden goose dating back to the mid-2000s? He was Mitch Barnhart’s top candidate before and after Billy Gillispie, and now, he’s emerged as another potential option to replace John Calipari in Lexington.

Amid flight tracking and rumored airport sightings, the national takes are starting to roll in with Donovan, just as they did way back when.

The consensus? A likely no, the 58-year-old instead focused on the NBA.

“As for the Kentucky opening, no stunner here, but: I’m not expecting Billy Donovan to be the top target/next coach,” CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander reported Tuesday. “He’s very much locked in on the Bulls gig. There’s no telling how long that run might last, how long Kentucky could wait, or if he even wants to return to college.”

“I would be beyond shocked if Billy Donovan is the next Kentucky head coach,” The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman added. “Also, Donovan is about as focused as any coach I have ever been around. Right now he is locked in and trying to get the Chicago Bulls into the playoffs.”

Those reports align with that of ESPN’s Pete Thamel ahead of Monday’s national championship game, acknowledging he may be an “aspirational candidate” for Mitch Barnhart, but maybe not a realistic one.

“We have to start with an aspirational candidate list, the top of that would be Billy Donovan, who is the Bulls’ coach,” Thamel said. “The early read there is the answer from Donovan is expected to be the same that it’s been the last half-dozen years or so when college jobs have called and Billy has said, ‘No thanks, I’m happy in the NBA.’ The timing for Donovan doesn’t work well, the Bulls are in the play-in game in the NBA to get into the playoffs on April 17.

“That’s a long time from today if you’re going to wait to talk to Billy Donovan.”