Smoke Around Billy Donovan Leaving the Chicago Bulls for UNC is Growing Fast

Take out the binoculars, fire up the flight trackers, and turn on your Shams Charania notifications: Billy Donovan Watch is in full effect!

The Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley opened up a can of worms this week when he reported that the Chicago Bulls head coach could consider departing the organization this offseason. Donovan is about to finish his sixth season at the helm of the franchise and is fresh off watching his front office take a stick of dynamite to the roster. Throw in an emotionally draining few months in his personal life, and now could be a very natural time to step away from the team.

Indeed, as we discussed in the wake of the Sun-Times' report, Donovan is the kind of respected voice who could have plenty of suitors. The New York Knicks are only a handful of months removed from wanting to interview the Hall of Famer for their opening. He was also an extremely popular name tied to the Kentucky Wildcats in 2024.

To be sure, whether or not Donovan would go back to college has always been a fair question. The sport has changed a lot since his years leading the Florida Gators to back-to-back championships. At the same time, there are very few leaders who have found more success at that level this century, which is why it's no surprise that Donovan has been thrown into the college coaching carousel yet again.

The University of North Carolina moved on from Hubert Davis this week. The blue blood program will immediately start the search for its next head coach, and Donovan has quickly landed on the list of top candidates. Again, the idea that a prestigious program like the Tar Heels would have its eye on Donovan comes as little shock. But what is very different about this instance is that Donovan may be staring right back.

Is a Billy Donovan Return to College on the Horizon?

Mar 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan directs the team against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Unlike when Billy Donovan was connected to Kentucky, multiple reports have surfaced expressing the head coach's potential interest in the North Carolina gig. Both The Athletic and CBS Sports have reported over the last 24 hours that Donovan would listen to a pitch made by the UNC brain trust. Brett Siegel of Clutchpoints went on to reiterate that point and also shared that the program is expected to contact Donovan soon. But that's not all.

Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 noted that people in Donovan's camp have already been encouraging him to take the opportunity and get away from the Bulls.

“However, there are a ton of people in Billy Donovan’s circle right now that have told Billy Donovan, ‘get the hell out of there. Get out of there. You can’t win with what they have given you. With what Arturas Karnisovas has given you in terms of talent, so go to Carolina and have a chance to win the whole thing again.”

To be clear, Goodman said he did contact Donovan and wasn't able to pry any information out of him. He also made sure to point out that the coach has long been known for his loyalty and remains under contract with Chicago for the foreseeable future. In fact, Donovan reportedly signed a contract extension just last offseason.

At the same time, a school like North Carolina is the kind that can make breaking that contract worthwhile. He also inked that deal well before the Bulls' roster underwent the massive change that it did this season. Who is to say the Bulls and Donovan still see eye-to-eye on the direction of the franchise? A lot can change in only a matter of months.

Even Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson didn't instill much confidence in Donovan serving as the Bulls' coach after this season. While he called the current buzz around his possible departure "speculation," he also said that Donovan is expected to table any discussions about his future until the summer. In other words, despite what the contract says, it's clearly not a given that Donovan returns. The fact that there is any discussion to table at all says a lot!

Nonetheless, I can't help but admit that it's somewhat difficult to envision Donovan taking the job. College is a remarkably different world nowadays. There is no guarantee that his previous success would translate – let alone that his life would become any less stressful. However, if one thing is for sure, the decision to make the move back to the NCAA would underscore just how bad things have become in Chicago. A prestigious program in its own right, watching a Hall of Fame head coach willingly walk out the door is never easy.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X for the latest news