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Power ranking NBA head coaches: 2015-16 season

By John Buhler

Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 4, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan reacts to a play in action against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan reacts to a play in action against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder

Billy Donovan built one outstanding collegiate basketball program while he was the head coach of the University of Florida Gators. He led the Gators to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2006-07. Many of his former players in Gainesville now make a living playing in the NBA (Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Bradley Beal, David Lee, Mike Miller, Chandler Parsons, Corey Brewer, etc.).

For as much respect Donovan has as a head coach collegiately, this is the NBA and like Chicago’s Fred Hoiberg, he hasn’t proven anything coaching at this level. Choosing to leave the Gators for the Oklahoma City Thunder was as close to an ideal move for Donovan to make. His mentor, Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, made the move from Kentucky to the Boston Celtics in the mid-1990s. Getting to coach Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook is a once in a lifetime opportunity for most coaches.

Players respect Donovan from his time in Florida, so it makes sense that Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti wanted to bring in the great college coach to replace Scott Brooks in 2015-16. Like Hoiberg, this situation isn’t perfect either.

Donovan gets Kevin Durant in the final year of his Thunder deal. Westbrook hits free agency next year. The Thunder missed the playoffs in 2014-15. Not to mention, the Thunder are notorious for not running all that many plays on offense, preferring to differ to Durant and Westbrook’s improvisational skills.

Through 13 games, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 7-6 and have the second best team offensive rating at 109.5. They play with great pace (98.1, sixth in the NBA), but are slightly below average defensively (104.9, 18th in the NBA).

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a great teacher in Billy Donovan, but is his team all that coachable? Oklahoma City, if healthy, should contend for an NBA Championship in 2016, but are they willing to listen to Billy Donovan during crunch time of Western Conference/NBA Finals games?

Next: 17. Randy Wittman

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