GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame released on Thursday their eligible candidates for the class of 2025 and Florida Gators legend Billy Donovan was among those named.
The finalists for each category of candidates for the Class of 2025 will be announced on Feb. 14, in San Francisco during NBA All-Star Weekend. Then, the whole Class of 2025, will be revealed April 5, during the televised broadcast of the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
Donovan spent 19 years leading the Gators, starting with the program back in 1996-97 and staying until 2014-15. In his time with the Gators, he recorded 467 wins to 185 losses, which comes out to a .715 winning percentage.
Upon joining the Gators, the program never had sustained success. However, all that changed with his arrival. He won two National Championships in three appearances, went to four Final Fours, six SEC Championships and won three consecutive SEC Tournament titles from 2005-2007. He also won a fourth one in 2014.
In addition to the silverware won and banners raised, he also achieved sixteen straight 20-win seasons and three 30-win seasons. Furthermore, he holds the school records for wins in a single season (36), longest win streak in a single season (30 in 2013-14) and consecutive postseason appearances (17).
This dominant stretch as a Division I head coach for the Florida Gators and Marshall Thundering Herd put himself in good company as well. On February 28th, 2015, he became just the second coach in college basketball history before the age of 50 to win 500 games, joining Bob Knight.
But before he reached this milestone, his two biggest accomplishments while at the helm of Florida were his back-to-back National Championships in 2006 and 2007. By completing this feat, the Gators, at the time, were just the seventh team in NCAA history and the first in 15 years to win-back-to back titles.
This feat has since been accomplished by UCONN.
Donovan will always be a Gators legend and has elevated this program to unimaginable heights. So, it is no surprise to see among those named as a candidate for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
