Donovan Named Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee

Billy Donovan led the Florida Gators to two national titles in his tenure with the program.

Dec 12, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Donovan talks with Florida Gators guard Chris Chiozza (11) against the Texas Southern Tigers during the first half at Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators on Saturday announced on X that former men’s basketball head coach Billy Donovan was selected to the Class of 2025 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Donovan was first announced as a candidate for the class in December.

Congratulations to former GatorsMBK coach Billy Donovan on getting named as a Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductee! pic.twitter.com/FjmaWDP0F6

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) April 5, 2025

Joining the Gators for the 1996-97 season, he would stay with the program for 19 years before departing for the NBA. During this time, he amassed 467 wins to just 185 losses. 

Florida is the program they are today largely because of what Donovan did in his tenure as their head coach. 

He led the Gators to their first-ever National Championship appearance in 2000 before winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. He also reached four Final Fours, won four SEC Tournament Championships, was a six-time SEC regular season champion and a two-time SEC Coach of the Year in his career with the school. 

He also set a school record for consecutive postseason appearances, going to 17 straight from 1997-2014.  

In Donovan’s final season with the Gators, he became only the second coach in college basketball history to pick up his 500th Division I win before his 50th birthday, putting him in this unique group with the legendary Bob Knight. 

Then, after becoming one of the best coaches in program history and bringing home as much as he did, the school renamed the basketball court to “Billy Donovan Court” near the end of 2019. 

Joining Donovan in the Class of 2025 is the 2008 USA Basketball men’s Olympic team, Carmelo Anthony, Danny Crawford and Dwight Howard.