European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 2, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page3o stars and stripes Mideast edition june 2007 another Gator goes pro after Bac Toback Mcaa Donovan lured by magic by Travis Reed the associated press Billy Dono Van found the Opportunity too Good to resist a big a promising team and a Job close to my decision to come Here had nothing to do with the University of Donovan said Friday when introduced As coach of the Orlando i think if i was to have left Florida for another col lege i think you could what was wrong but i had an Opportunity to leave for another College this is a totally different a different a different Way of a different style Alto Donovan Aba career began at a news conference televised live from the magics practice he Felt this was the time to make the to be honest with i was very up front with Florida ath Letic director when the season Donovan i i want to coach in College Here at the University of the Only thing that would intrigue that i would really take a look would be an Aba situation that i Felt was and it would have to be a special situation in my Donovan accepted a million which pays More than twice the annual million he was making at an official in the Aba told the associated press on condition of anonymity because the Deal haunt been Donovan replaces Brian who was fired after two consecutive losing Hills ouster followed the magics first playoff appearance in four which ended in the first round against the Detroit the 42yearold Donovan built a budding dynasty in taking the school to its first nation Al championship in 2000 and win Ning the title the past two he has been a head coach for 13 seasons two at Marshall and the past 11 with the in Donovan will try convert that College Success into a pro championship a notoriously difficult feat in the Al business Donovan said one priority was finding a player who can score from the perimeter to help Allstar Forward Dwight Howard and 7footer Darko Gen eral manager Otis Smith said he was looking for someone who was going to help our Young team become better basketball play Donovan was known for that at Donovan is leaving a gators team that is losing its top seven scorers after the including potential top10 Aba picks Joakim Al Hor Ford and Corey in Donovan inherits a team without a first round draft pick or much Veteran expert Orlando is rebuilding around a third year player who made his first Allstar team this and counting on bigger contributions from Trevor Ariza and j a big question Mark for Orlan do is whether Grant Hill will the often injured stars con tract expired this and he could retire or Chase a title else if Hill it would open much salary Cap room for a skilled offensive Donovan has shown he can improve even mediocre at a traditional football he made it to the Mcaa title game three times in his 11 he led the gators to nine straight 20victory nearly doubling the amount it had be fore his he became the winning est coach in Florida history on 20 and now has 261 Vic Bill Billy who led Florida to two Mcaa basketball accepted a million Deal to become the coach of the Orlando he turned Florida into a and faces a similar Challenge with the magic Orlando Hast been out of the first round of the playoffs in a who next for Florida Florida might have been bet Ter off bad Billy Donovan taken the Kentucky at least the gators would have had plenty of replace ment the two time defend ing National champions seemingly have fewer we wish this run Cotile have gone on Florida athletic director Jere Mylo Ley been an to credible privilege to be a part to to bitty we hired him 11 years ago to build Florida and he did that beyond any ones Well miss him As a but Well Al ways be friends and remain close to Billy and his we know he has a lot More Suc Cess in his future and we wish him the Best in his new Jour Foley probably wont waste much time replacing he Likely will consider Assis Tant coach Larry Shyatt or Vir Ginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant for the although some believe shy att will follow Donovan to or he has several years of head coaching experience at Wyoming and a longtime assistant under led ecu to the Mcaa tournament in his first the rams upset Duke in the opening Marquette coach Tom Crean and Villanova coach Jay Wright also could surface As potential Florida has always been an excellent Crean said thursday at the Aba draft Combine in in Happy at had Donovan taken the Ken Tucky Job in several oth ers May have been including new Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie and new Arkan Sas coach John a former Donovan the associated press Odds against Billy the kid making smooth transition by Israel Gutierrez the Miami Herald any opinion on Billy Donovan decision to go pro is made with one giant Assumption Al ready in place that hell the Aba is a graveyard for col lege coaches who tried to make the in it lie Mike Montgom Lon Tim Leonard John Rick Pitino and Jerry All great College coaches who found the game Doest translate As easily for the clipboard holders As it does for the so the idea of Donovan going from the highest level of Success with the Florida gators to the absolute mediocrity of the Orlando magic comes with a feeling of inevitable failure the Only Hope being that the Gigantic bags of commentary Money thrown at the coach some How soften the it seems unfair to make that deduction before the Ink on his new contract is even after is a two time National Champion who reached Mcaa title games in seven none of the previous coaches who attempted the switch can claim that kind of unfortunately for Billy the its not unfair at because its the Aba is no place for col lege coaches with no previous and not even a formerly Pudgy Providence Point guard who has seemed to overcome Long Odds at every level of his basketball is suited for if its the endless Cycle of recruiting that was tiring Donovan at the collegiate he just re placed that with the Neari Possi ble task of managing professional the inevitable clash with his front office about personnel Deci Sions and the immense pressure to win right away and win regular that Doest even include the fact that the intricacies of the Aba and College games Are so Dis Tinct that it takes More than just an of season to if its the enthusiasm that Dono Van loved about the College he will quickly learn How a few years and hundreds of games often suck much of the passion out of Aba to Call Donovan smile move from Gainesville to Orlando a mistake is because any Job decision that includes Dou bling your salary and the Chance to prove yourself at the highest level of your profession has its obvious but it Doest mean Donovan wont eventually regret it if legacy is at All important to he might have blown his Chance to become a basketball coaching Dukes Mike Krzyzewski is on that path coach k has ignored overtures from the Aba and has stuck to the Challenge of perfect ing his Craft at the College his Reward he is considered one of the Best basketball coaches at any and was even be stowed the of rebuilding the olympic basketball Hes this Century John College lifers Jim Roy Lute Olsen and Jim there All right there with respected and admired and blessed with the Type of Job Security that Doest exist in the Pitino lost some of that Shine when he failed miserably with the he has landed on his feet with Louisville but has been knocked Down a Peg or two on the coaching Hierarchy by the cruel judge that is Public unless Donovan defies All the Odds and becomes the first col  coach to even make the second round of the Hes doomed to suffer the same rather than be loved for repeating As a National he will be judged by whether he can bring the Orlando magic Back to so someone might want to re mind Donovan that Shaquille Oneal is not walking through that door unless its to band him one of the Many losses that Are going to pile up