Todd Golden Reflects on Loss of Billy Donovan's Father, Bill Donovan

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Before the Florida Gators take to Billy Donovan Court to take on South Carolina on Tuesday, the program will honor another Donovan: Bill Donovan, Billy Donovan's father.

Bill Donovan, a present attendee of Florida basketball games even after his son's departure after the 2014-15 season, passed away on Saturday in Gainesville. He was 85 years old.

The program will hold a moment of silence before tip-off against the Gamecocks.

"His dad was an incredible human," head coach Todd Golden said on Monday. "He still was very passionate about the program, about being in Gainesville."

The elder Donovan was a consistent face at Gators basketball games through the Donovan (1996-2015), Mike White (2015-22) and Golden (2022-present) eras of Gator basketball. While his son became the program's all-time winningest head coach and won back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007, Bill Donovan was usually close by, sitting on the bench while his son coached.

"These last 15, 16 years for me -- oh my gosh! -- have been phenomenal," Bill Donovan told FloridaGators.com's Chris Harry in a 2011 feature. "I played basketball growing up. When Billy was young, we'd watch games on television and I'd take him to see the Knicks. And now, to be able to be around the team and go to all the games and knowing Billy wants me to be a part of it all, I'm just so blessed I can't even tell you."

A moment of silence is on the #Gators-South Carolina pregame slate tonight. 🙏https://t.co/Lw5JC8DWwu pic.twitter.com/uynxq87UgM
— Chris Harry (@GatorsChris) February 17, 2026

Despite his son's departure to become the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015, Bill Donovan remained. Golden detailed the relationship he and his father, often seen with a flat-billed Gators hat and, in a similar fashion to Donovan, seated a few rows behind the UF bench, had with Donovan.

The Goldens, executive associate athletics director Duke Werner and others often got breakfast with Donovan when time allowed, including two weeks ago, Golden said.

"To hear that was really just devastating, to be honest, because we saw him and he was doing great two weeks ago," Golden said. "And it just kind of reminds you just how precious life is and how everything can change so quickly."

We lost such a wonderful man! pic.twitter.com/XZAEEMQBOl
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) February 16, 2026

Their relationship went far beyond just the breakfast dates, though. Donovan would often text Golden about the team and, as he did on multiple occasions over the last 26 years, was in attendance for the team's Final Four a year ago, where he rode the team bus with Golden's father.

"I like to classify people: You're either a fountain or you're a drain," Golden said. "This dude was a huge fountain, and he was always energetic and made everyone around him better and in a better mood. So it's a terrible loss. I believe we will honor him tomorrow night before the game, and we'll do everything we can to be there for Coach Donovan as he's going through it."

Tip-off for Tuesday's game against the Gamecocks is at 7 p.m. with television coverage on SEC Network.

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