Deadspin | Bulls prez sees Billy Donovan as integral to future — if coach wants to stay 
Apr 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan directs his team against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Chicago Bulls aren’t looking to move on from Billy Donovan. Now it’s up for Donovan to decide what his future holds.
Bulls CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf held a video call with media Tuesday and said the team’s next front office hires must be “sold” on Donovan as their coach.
“If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy, they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach,” Reinsdorf said, “they’re not sold on a person who’s won championships in college, who’s gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City. … If Billy wants to be our coach and someone’s not interested in that, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”
The “if” is the key. Reinsdorf said Donovan is scheduled to meet with ownership to discuss his future on Monday, the day after the team’s season finale against the Dallas Mavericks.
Donovan, a two-time NCAA champion at Florida (2006, 2007), had been linked to the opening at North Carolina, but ex-Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was officially hired there Tuesday.
The Bulls fired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley on Monday. Reinsdorf said he wanted Donovan to have a greater voice in team-building.
“We’d be crazy not to want Billy’s input in player acquisition from players around the league,” Reinsdorf said. “He’s an NBA coach, he coaches against these guys. Some of these guys he’s already coached. Billy will be involved and will be encouraged … I’ll probably push Billy to be more involved.”
In fact, Reinsdorf entertained the idea of Donovan moving into the front office himself, but clarified that Donovan had not raised that possibility.
“If he came to me and said, ‘Hey, I may want to do a Brad Stevens situation,’ I would sit down and listen to Billy,” Reinsdorf said, referencing the former coach of the Boston Celtics who moved into their president of basketball operations position. “I don’t think that’s where his head’s at. I don’t think Billy cares about titles. Billy cares about being a head coach, and he cares about the players and cares about the organization.”
Donovan, who turns 61 in May, has coached the Bulls since 2020-21 but guided them to just one playoff appearance. They lost to the Miami Heat in the play-in round in each of the past three years.
Chicago, long eliminated from playoff contention, entered Tuesday’s game at the Washington Wizards at 29-49 and on a seven-game slide. Donovan addressed reporters before the game and said he appreciated Reinsdorf’s belief in him.
“I’ve always believed this: The room is smarter than any individual and there are a lot of smart people in that room,” Donovan said. “I think if we can put our heads together and figure out how do we get to that? I don’t have all the answers to those things. I just know the last four years, we have not won at a high level. I want to win at a high level. I want to be a part of that. I think the organization deserves that, I think everyone in the organization wants that, and then everybody has got to put their heads together and figure out, ‘How do we go about doing that?'”
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Bulls #prez #sees #Billy #Donovan #integral #future #coach #stay
Apr 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan directs his team against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Chicago Bulls aren’t looking to move on from Billy Donovan. Now it’s up for Donovan to decide what his future holds.
Bulls CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf held a video call with media Tuesday and said the team’s next front office hires must be “sold” on Donovan as their coach.
“If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy, they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach,” Reinsdorf said, “they’re not sold on a person who’s won championships in college, who’s gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City. … If Billy wants to be our coach and someone’s not interested in that, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”
The “if” is the key. Reinsdorf said Donovan is scheduled to meet with ownership to discuss his future on Monday, the day after the team’s season finale against the Dallas Mavericks.
Donovan, a two-time NCAA champion at Florida (2006, 2007), had been linked to the opening at North Carolina, but ex-Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was officially hired there Tuesday.
The Bulls fired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley on Monday. Reinsdorf said he wanted Donovan to have a greater voice in team-building.
“We’d be crazy not to want Billy’s input in player acquisition from players around the league,” Reinsdorf said. “He’s an NBA coach, he coaches against these guys. Some of these guys he’s already coached. Billy will be involved and will be encouraged … I’ll probably push Billy to be more involved.”
In fact, Reinsdorf entertained the idea of Donovan moving into the front office himself, but clarified that Donovan had not raised that possibility.
“If he came to me and said, ‘Hey, I may want to do a Brad Stevens situation,’ I would sit down and listen to Billy,” Reinsdorf said, referencing the former coach of the Boston Celtics who moved into their president of basketball operations position. “I don’t think that’s where his head’s at. I don’t think Billy cares about titles. Billy cares about being a head coach, and he cares about the players and cares about the organization.”
Donovan, who turns 61 in May, has coached the Bulls since 2020-21 but guided them to just one playoff appearance. They lost to the Miami Heat in the play-in round in each of the past three years.
Chicago, long eliminated from playoff contention, entered Tuesday’s game at the Washington Wizards at 29-49 and on a seven-game slide. Donovan addressed reporters before the game and said he appreciated Reinsdorf’s belief in him.
“I’ve always believed this: The room is smarter than any individual and there are a lot of smart people in that room,” Donovan said. “I think if we can put our heads together and figure out how do we get to that? I don’t have all the answers to those things. I just know the last four years, we have not won at a high level. I want to win at a high level. I want to be a part of that. I think the organization deserves that, I think everyone in the organization wants that, and then everybody has got to put their heads together and figure out, ‘How do we go about doing that?'”
–Field Level Media
![In an age of hurry, Sai Sudharsan keeps his own time Unlike most of his contemporaries, B. Sai Sudharsan employs a bat-down technique. He awaits the bowler in his crease with the bottom edge of the bat resting on the ground.He raises his bat to load his shot only when the bowler reaches the popping crease, adjusting the extent of his backswing based on his reading of length and shot choice.It is a batting style from a bygone era, one that makes the process seem tougher than it should be. For Sai Sudharsan, it is a habit born of childhood frailty, one he has considered changing but ultimately retained.“I started playing by keeping my bat down when I was young,” explains Sai Sudharsan in an interview with Sportstar.“The main reason at the time was that I was not very strong. My coaches would say, ‘You’re not so strong. So, don’t lift your bat. Otherwise, you’ll get tired soon. Just keep your bat down.’ That’s how I started.”“But it is helping me. Yes, I had some temptations in between to change it. But I think I had more trust in this. The way I batted, the set-up I have, I trusted this more,” he added.The 24-year-old’s faith in his natural style has brought rich rewards, most notably the Orange Cap in IPL 2025, when he accumulated 759 runs at an impressive strike rate of 156.17 for Gujarat Titans.That massive haul was the punctuation mark on an upward trajectory that has defined his IPL career: 145 runs in 2022, 362 in 2023, and 527 in 2024.At the heart of his progression has been a willingness to adapt by adding new shots to his repertoire, particularly behind square. The southpaw has integrated a variety of ramps and scoops into his strokeplay as he has expanded his run-scoring methods.This evolution has been the result of conscious planning and focused off-season training, driven by a desire to add new tools without unsettling his batting foundation.“I definitely do it [prepare for such shots] beforehand. The way the sport is going, we need multiple options against the bowler. Without disturbing my strengths, how can I still improve my range? That is the thought process. It takes time to develop a new shot, but I think I’ve done a very good job.”While Sai Sudharsan has impressed individually, it is his opening partnership with skipper Shubman Gill that has underpinned Gujarat Titans’ team plan.Over the last two seasons, the pair has aggregated a league-leading 1453 runs at an average of 63.17. With an emphasis on accumulation and risk minimisation, the two are expected to provide a stable base for the middle order to capitalise on.Sai Sudharsan believes this is a perfect alignment of team strategy and individual strengths.“I think it was in unison, where our strengths aligned with what the team required. The team requirement was also very similar. We focus more on taking the game deeper and winning it from there,” he says.In addition to his appetite for runs, the Tamil Nadu batter is known for his quirky preparation routines. During the England Test series in 2025, he was spotted jotting in his journal before walking out to bat and engaging in visualisation exercises. This is in addition to his habit of not batting on the eve of a game and assessing the pitch by walking on it barefoot.It would be easy to label these as superstitions and dismiss them. But in a high-pressure environment like competitive sport, such forms of pattern-building are essential for performance, he believes.“Most sportsmen do it. It’s a feel-good thing. Whatever you do, even practice, it’s about making you feel good and confident. So, whatever helps us feel that way is good. There is a reason for me to do these things — to be in a good headspace and be expressive and natural when I step onto the ground.”Sai Sudharsan also admits that he has toned down his routines, sticking only to pragmatic ones.“I used to have a lot of superstitions, but over time I have reduced them and made everything more practical and logical. Sometimes I would eat the same food — it could be ice cream or biryani. If the game went well, I would repeat it for 14 games. I have done that before, but now I have taken it out of my system. It’s just an example,” he says.The left-hander was last in action in national colours against South Africa in a home Test series, where India suffered a 2-0 defeat.Sai Sudharsan featured only in the second Test in Guwahati and managed just 29 runs across both innings. It was a failure that prompted serious introspection.“I had so much anger towards myself that I was not able to execute when the team needed it. But once the series finished, I understood that I need to work more, be better prepared, and be ready when the situation comes again. That was the biggest thing on my mind.”Published on Apr 08, 2026 #age #hurry #Sai #Sudharsan #time](https://i2.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/xz4tpc/article70836964.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/India_IPL_Cricket_9653_.jpg?ssl=1 "In an age of hurry, Sai Sudharsan keeps his own time Unlike most of his contemporaries, B. Sai Sudharsan employs a bat-down technique. He awaits the bowler in his crease with the bottom edge of the bat resting on the ground.He raises his bat to load his shot only when the bowler reaches the popping crease, adjusting the extent of his backswing based on his reading of length and shot choice.It is a batting style from a bygone era, one that makes the process seem tougher than it should be. For Sai Sudharsan, it is a habit born of childhood frailty, one he has considered changing but ultimately retained.“I started playing by keeping my bat down when I was young,” explains Sai Sudharsan in an interview with Sportstar.“The main reason at the time was that I was not very strong. My coaches would say, ‘You’re not so strong. So, don’t lift your bat. Otherwise, you’ll get tired soon. Just keep your bat down.’ That’s how I started.”“But it is helping me. Yes, I had some temptations in between to change it. But I think I had more trust in this. The way I batted, the set-up I have, I trusted this more,” he added.The 24-year-old’s faith in his natural style has brought rich rewards, most notably the Orange Cap in IPL 2025, when he accumulated 759 runs at an impressive strike rate of 156.17 for Gujarat Titans.That massive haul was the punctuation mark on an upward trajectory that has defined his IPL career: 145 runs in 2022, 362 in 2023, and 527 in 2024.At the heart of his progression has been a willingness to adapt by adding new shots to his repertoire, particularly behind square. The southpaw has integrated a variety of ramps and scoops into his strokeplay as he has expanded his run-scoring methods.This evolution has been the result of conscious planning and focused off-season training, driven by a desire to add new tools without unsettling his batting foundation.“I definitely do it [prepare for such shots] beforehand. The way the sport is going, we need multiple options against the bowler. Without disturbing my strengths, how can I still improve my range? That is the thought process. It takes time to develop a new shot, but I think I’ve done a very good job.”While Sai Sudharsan has impressed individually, it is his opening partnership with skipper Shubman Gill that has underpinned Gujarat Titans’ team plan.Over the last two seasons, the pair has aggregated a league-leading 1453 runs at an average of 63.17. With an emphasis on accumulation and risk minimisation, the two are expected to provide a stable base for the middle order to capitalise on.Sai Sudharsan believes this is a perfect alignment of team strategy and individual strengths.“I think it was in unison, where our strengths aligned with what the team required. The team requirement was also very similar. We focus more on taking the game deeper and winning it from there,” he says.In addition to his appetite for runs, the Tamil Nadu batter is known for his quirky preparation routines. During the England Test series in 2025, he was spotted jotting in his journal before walking out to bat and engaging in visualisation exercises. This is in addition to his habit of not batting on the eve of a game and assessing the pitch by walking on it barefoot.It would be easy to label these as superstitions and dismiss them. But in a high-pressure environment like competitive sport, such forms of pattern-building are essential for performance, he believes.“Most sportsmen do it. It’s a feel-good thing. Whatever you do, even practice, it’s about making you feel good and confident. So, whatever helps us feel that way is good. There is a reason for me to do these things — to be in a good headspace and be expressive and natural when I step onto the ground.”Sai Sudharsan also admits that he has toned down his routines, sticking only to pragmatic ones.“I used to have a lot of superstitions, but over time I have reduced them and made everything more practical and logical. Sometimes I would eat the same food — it could be ice cream or biryani. If the game went well, I would repeat it for 14 games. I have done that before, but now I have taken it out of my system. It’s just an example,” he says.The left-hander was last in action in national colours against South Africa in a home Test series, where India suffered a 2-0 defeat.Sai Sudharsan featured only in the second Test in Guwahati and managed just 29 runs across both innings. It was a failure that prompted serious introspection.“I had so much anger towards myself that I was not able to execute when the team needed it. But once the series finished, I understood that I need to work more, be better prepared, and be ready when the situation comes again. That was the biggest thing on my mind.”Published on Apr 08, 2026 #age #hurry #Sai #Sudharsan #time")
Post Comment