San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson spoke enthusiastically about the addition of veteran coach Billy Donovan to his staff, emphasizing the immense value Donovan brings as the team aims to contend for a championship.
“I don’t want to be naive enough to think that I’m going to be able to tell you what a 61-year-old Hall of Fame coach like Billy Donovan and his resume can bring to the table,” Johnson said. “Obviously, I’m very excited he’s here.”
Johnson views Donovan as an incredibly valuable asset as the Spurs look to build on their recent success. “He’s a tremendous person, great personality, fits in seamlessly,” Johnson noted. “He’s got worlds of experience and he’s an extremely hard worker. He’s not kicking his feet up and telling stories. He’s rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty. So very, very honored and excited to have him here.”
Donovan was brought in during the offseason to fill the vacancy left by associate head coach Sean Sweeney, who departed to become the head coach of the Orlando Magic—a position Donovan reportedly also pursued.
With Donovan on board, Johnson gains a top lieutenant boasting extensive head-coaching experience. Over the past 11 seasons, Donovan guided NBA teams, including a five-year tenure with the Chicago Bulls and six seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, compiling a 469-413 record. Prior to his professional career, he spent 19 years coaching the Florida Gators (1996–2015), leading them to national championships in 2006 and 2007, an NCAA title game appearance in 2000, and four Final Four appearances. The highlight of his NBA career came in his first season with Oklahoma City, when the Thunder reached the 2016 Western Conference Finals.
Donovan’s arrival also comes as Johnson, 39, seeks to address critiques of his tactical decisions during the recent NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, where the Spurs lost in five games after blowing double-digit leads in each defeat. Johnson expressed confidence that Donovan’s guidance will be pivotal. “He’s going to help all of us and me probably specifically a ton this year,” Johnson said.