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December 23, /p&p
Providence is where it started...
Continuing in the Big Apple and now Lexington, Donovan is back with Pitino
by TCP associate editor Nick Nicholas
"By-chance" meetings.
Some are memorable. Others are forgettable.
Some are priceless. Others valued worthless.
Some lead to long-lastins friendships, while others end as quickly as they initiate.
In 1985 Billy Donovan, a somewhat out-of shape Providence Friar, was introduced to Rick Pitino, the new head coach. Four years, one Final Four and short-lived pro basketball and Wall Street careers later, this young Yank, 24, ventured south last summer to join i Pitino at Kentucky. "I've always wanted to be associated with him because coach Pitino is a winner and is someone who night-in and night-out who's going to work hard," Donovan, a graduate assistant, said. "I think he eptiomizes what coaching is all about."
Donovan's "by-chance" meeting with Pitino, who at the time replaced coaching wiz Joe Mullaney, has been memorable as well as priceless. Suffice to say the friendship continues.
Following is a TCP Q&A with Donovan:
Question: In your new career what's been the toughest transition/
Donovan: The job I had before I came here was working al Wall Street. Coming from New Yorkthat's something I wanted to experience because that's all you hear about, people go to high school and college and then get a job down on Wall Street. I was always intrigued by that. I liked it there; I was working with some people who I thought were very, very nice and who wanted to help me.
But I just missed basketball so much and I really wanted to get back into basketball. I couldn't think of a better person to be involved with than coach Pitino.
I called him up and asked him if I could come with him to Kentucky, and he said yes. So, I'm really glad to be here.
Question: What are your responsibilities?
Donovan: I can't go on the road recruiting. However, I get to do a lot of underclassman recruitingcalling coaches and writing letters to recruits and trying to form relationships with younger players. I get a chance to do quite a bit of scouting. I can't go on the road and scout but I can watch game films with the coaches. Whereas last week Tubby (Smith) and Herb (Sendek) were on the road scouting it was just myself and coach (Ralph) Willard, so I get a chance to break down film.
Another thing I get to do is I get a chance to be out in individual instruction every day. In practice, coach Pitino lets all the coaches make corrections and really get involved with practice. I've had the best of both worlds in the sense that I've been able to do a lot of things here. I've really been exposed to a lot of things which has been good for me because I've learned quite a bit alreadycoaching, what goes into recruiting, scouting. I've just learned a tremendous amount.
It's really been incredible how much I've actually learned, I think it's been through coach Pitino. Another person who has been a great help to me has been Ralph Willard. He's someone I've known as a player growing up in high school; he was a head coach at a rival school.
He's really helped me, from a standpoint of
scoutingwhat to dohow to break down film. He's taught me how to use the Lexicon System (a VCR-computer unit that resembles something you might see at Cape Canaveral. It's used to breakdown game films in sections. For instance, splicing and marking all transition defenses from a particular game). He's been a great to me. He's always taken time out to help me.
One thing I can say about coach Willard is that he's always taken the time to help me along and make be a better coach.
Question: How are the hours in the coaching business?
Donovan: When you love something you're doing so much the hours really don't make a difference to me. I really love what I'm doing and I really enjoy being here. The days just fly by. I love all the people I'm working with as far as the staff is concerned. The kids on the team are really great people.
Question: The toughest transition?
Donovan: I've always been fairly close-distance to my family. I don't get a chance to see them that much. My wife is away from her family. But, that's something that has not been that big of a problem, from the standpoint they've been down here to see some games.
I love it down here so much and love what I'm doing that there really hasn't been a negative that I can think of.
Question: What about your future?
Donovan: Short-term, I just want to do the best job I can for coach Pitino, the staff and the team. I want to help bring Kentucky back to where it once was.
What I want to do is to become a head coach someday. That's my goal.
Question: Currently, Mike Dunleavy, an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, is helping his team as a player, too. Ever give any thoughts about returning to the NBA?
Donovan: I always get the...we play every morning...you know, I miss the playing end of it and the competitive nature of it. But, because I put so much time in basketball and worked as hard as I could as a player, I think I'm able to step away and walk away from the game from a playing standpoint and not have any regrets.
I don't have any regrets.
I've experienced a lot playing basketball; there have been a lot of great moments I'll never forget. And I think I've given everything I had and I got everything out of my ability. It got to the point where it was time to move on. I couldn't think of a better place to be than at Kentucky.
Question: Coach Pitino has given you credit for helping Richie Farmer fit into the system. Talk about that.
Donovan: Richie is a person who, when he first came here, didn't come in in the best of shape. In this style of play, half the battle is being in great shape. Once you get in great physical shape you become mentally tough. Richie just needed to get his body in great shape.
That wasn't my doing but Ray Oliver's (basketball strength coach). He got him in great shape.
I've really just been working on Richie and staying on top of him. Richie has got a lot of talent and coach Pitino has been trying to bring it out of him. Coach has given me a
lot of individual sessions with him. So, I've just tried to really, really work hard on his dribbling, ball-faking and trying to get him to be more aggressive offensively.
The reason Richie has gotten a lot better this year is, one, he's in great shape, and, two, he has really become dedicated to the sport.
Question: Were you in the same situtationout of conditionbefore coach Pitino came to Providence your junior season?
Donovan: Yeah, I think so. I think all these kids were in the same situation I was when coach Pitino first got here. You don't know what to expect, it's a new system. The first year is always the toughest.
I see a lot of myself in Richie. The big thing with Richie is that next year, hopefully he's going to understand everything he went through this year, he'll come in in great shape. A lot of the things he struggled with this year he won't struggle with (next year).
Question: Talk about Derrick Miller and his progress.
Donovan: Derrick is a guy who has great range. He's got a lot of talent. Derrick has come a long ways. His biggest problem is, he's a guy who can get his shot off at anytime. Sometimes he doesn't understand what a good shot and a bad shot is.
One thing Derrick is starting to do, the reason you're starting to see him score a little bit more is because he's starting to take better shots. He's starting to have an understanding of what a good shot and what a bad shot is.
Question: Billy, you reached the NBA level. ..can Derrick make it in the professional ranks, whether it's in the NBA or overseas?
Donovan: Derrick Miller will have a chance to tryout with an NBA team. Whether or not he makes it is really hard to say. Anything can happen in training camp. If Derrick approaches training camp the way he
quick turnaround?
Donovan: The biggest thing is that people say that guys like John Pelphrey, Richie Fanner, Deron Feldhaus and these kids can't play this style of play.
When you play this style of play you negate a lot of weaknesses. A guy like Richie Farmer is better off in this style of play because he's such a good jump shooter and he can get more open shots in this style of play rather than a half-court style of play.
These guys are starting to come together as a team and they're starting to play together as a team. Defensively, the last couple of games we've been causing some havoc. So, collectively they are playing a lot better.
Question: In your first official game as an assistant coach did you find yourself somewhat nervous?
Donovan: The thing that was funny was the pregame meal, I was worried about eating the right foods. I'm saying to myself, "1 can eat what I want to eat. I'm not playing anymore."
I had a totally different prospective sitting on the bench.
Kentucky and Rupp Arena are special. The fans here have just been incredible, and I enjoy walking into that arena every night.
Question: How big of an influence has Rick Pitino been on your life?
Donovan: Probably next to my family and my Dad, coach Pitino has probably been one of the most influential people in my life. If he doesn't come to Providence who knows where I'd be right now. The one thing that coach Pitino has taught me is to overachieve and work as hard as you can. And when you do work hard good things come about.
I've taken that philosophy as a player and now I'm trying to take it into the real world if you can work as hard as you can good things are going to happen.
He's been a big part of my life. Anytime I've needed coach Pitino and he's always been
"Hie big thing coach Pitino does is that he challenges you. For someone like myselfI've always had the dream of playing in the NBAhe always challenged me to reach that dream. Every day I stepped on the floor he was always challenging me to work a little bit harder. That's one thing that brought out the determination and desire in me was him always pushing me to become better, to keep on striving."
Billy Donovan, on the influence Rick Pitino has had on him
has approached this year and really works hard next summertries to get himself in great shape and work on his ball-handling he'll have a shot at it.
The thing we've tried to tell Derrick is that whether or not he makes the NBA is how well this team does this year. We've got to overcome a lot of adversities. Whether or not he's getting 40 or 35 a game is not important. What's important is us winning. He's really taking that seriously.
Question: How big a factor is it to be picked by the "right" team? And, is too much made of that?
Donovan: If you're a guy like (Michael) Jordan it doesn't make a difference. But if you're a guy who's coming out and is an in-between player who has a shot to make if he's in the right situation...a lot of that is timing and being in the right place at the right time. If Derrick were to get in a situation where they needed a three-point shooter, someone who can shoot the basketball, he's going to have a great chance to make it. But if he's got to beat out three or four veterans who are established in the league then he's not going to have a very good shot of making it.
So, a lot of it's going to depend on what team he tries out for.
Question: Heading into UK's initial game this season, the coaching staff seemed worried. Yet, you came on like gangbusters in your first four games. Can you pinpoint the
there for me. I'm really glad I can be back associated with him. I'm not playing for him but I'm still involved with him in basketball. I enjoy coming to work every day and being around him.
Question: What makes Rick Pitino an inspirational person?
Donovan: The big thing coach Pitino does is that he challenges you. For someone like myselfI've always had the dream of playing in the NBAhe always challenged me to reach that dream. Every day I stepped on the floor he was always challenging me to work a little bit harder. That's one thing that brought out the determination and desire in me was him always pushing me to become better, to keep on striving. That's another thing that he's taught me in lifeto never become content. Once you become content that's when you start sliding.
He's always taught me that whatever you're doing, if you have a great win one night you have to come back with the same kind of desire, if not more, to overachieve.
Question: At Providence, was there a time that you ever doubted your basketball talents?
Donovan: Well, I don't think I ever doubted myself. I always felt I could play in the NBA. My biggest problem was not from an offensive standpoint but more from a defensive standpoint.
In college, we pressed and were running (Continued on page 9)