Donovan on Kentucky opening: Committed to Bulls

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan said he has not had any contact with the University of Kentucky about its men’s basketball coaching vacancy and reiterated his commitment to the Bulls prior to the team’s game Tuesday night against the New York Knicks.

“I have not been contacted by anybody, I haven’t spoken to anybody,” Donovan told reporters, adding that his answer would remain the same even if he was contacted. “My total commitment and focus is here to this team and to this group.”

John Calipari’s sudden departure after 15 seasons as coach over the weekend left the Kentucky men’s basketball job vacant. Donovan’s name has been speculated as one of the Wildcats’ top targets.

Donovan, who began his coaching career as an assistant at Kentucky under Rick Pitino from 1989 to 1993, was most successful at the collegiate level, winning back-to-back national championships at Florida. He acknowledged on Tuesday that he had fond memories of his time at Kentucky and keeps in touch with Calipari.

However, Donovan left the college ranks to coach the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015 before joining the Bulls in 2020. And while he didn’t shut out a return to college at some point in his career, he indicated he was content coaching in the NBA.

“I’m happy here at this level,” Donovan said. “I know I enjoy coaching and I know I enjoy coaching in the NBA.”

Donovan has two years remaining on his contract after this season. The Bulls entered Tuesday’s game 37-41 and headed for the 9/10 play-in matchup in the Eastern Conference, trying to secure the No. 9 seed and home-field advantage in that winner-take-all matchup. Donovan is 154-160 (.490) in his career in Chicago, but sources told ESPN the Bulls are happy with the coaching job he has done all season, helping the team bounce back from a 5-14 start.

“I give our guys a lot of credit for hanging in there and battling through some of the things they’ve had to battle through,” Donovan said. “I’m with them on that. I’m committed to them with that. A lot of this stuff turns out to be speculation.”