According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, UConn men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie has removed himself from consideration for the opening with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The news comes just one day after Yahoo! Sports indicated that he had significant interest in the job.
UConn’s Kevin Ollie has removed himself from consideration for the OKC head coaching position, sources told @CBSSports. Story coming.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 23, 2015
Speculation about Ollie’s interest had been brewing since comments came out a year ago from OKC star Kevin Durant, where he heaped praise on the former teammate. Ollie had previously released a statement denying interest, to which Yahoo! Sports ultimately released information that his statement wasn’t completely genuine.
Another college coach that has been linked to the opening is Billy Donovan of Florida. Donovan nearly left Florida for the Orlando Magic in the summer of 2007, even going so far as agreeing to terms with the Magic before ultimately pulling out and staying in Gainesville.
Sources around the UF program, and close to Donovan, have indicated that he is ready to pursue a job in the NBA and leave the college game–a game where he has won two national titles, and finishing runner-up for another.
Some think that Donovan’s eagerness to pursue NBA opportunities could be the arrival of John Calipari in the SEC, and the dominance that UK has shown on the recruiting trail since Calipari took over in Lexington.
Regardless of whether Donovan is hired in OKC, the college game is better off with coaching stability at UConn, one of the game’s marquee programs.
