I’m son of Bulls head coach Billy Donovan – he told me to ‘serve and help others’ as I coached at NBA Summer League
HISTORY came full circle for Billy Donovan III during the Las Vegas Summer League.
A decade after playing for his dad, Billy Donovan, at Florida, the former Gator point guard arrived in Sin City to take charge of the Chicago Bulls — the team his pops serves as head coach at in the NBA.
Donovan III, 32, joined the Bulls organization as a video coordinator two years ago.
He spent the previous campaign as the Windy City Bulls assistant before being made the G League affiliate's head coach this offseason.
A month or so later, the ex-Gators playmaker landed on the sidelines in Vegas, coaching the Bulls' Summer League team as his first major task in the new role.
And he checked in at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center ready to continue carving his own path.
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"One thing I've learned from my dad is... I think it's true with any profession — you have people that help you get to where you are," Donovan III told The U.S. Sun during the Summer Leaguel last month.
"But at the end of the day, you're the one that has to put in the work and you're the one that has to perform in your job."
That is not to say Donovan III didn't seek advice from his father — a two-time NCAA champion and an NBA head coach since 2015 — ahead of the tournament.
The older Donovan made sure to emphasize the importance of aiding the young Bulls' development with many of them, including No. 11 pick Matas Buzelis, earning their first NBA reps in Vegas.
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"Helping the players, serve the players," Donovan III said of the guidance he received from Chicago's head coach.
"How can you help them just make their jobs easier.
"But it's more so like the servant leadership — you're there to serve and help others."
Two games into the Summer League, Donovan III enjoyed the experience a great deal while trying to put his players "in positions to be successful" just as his father stressed.
He also found himself getting more comfortable in the new role with the reps he put in every day — in big part thanks to his "terrific staff," he noted.
Chicago beat the Milwaukee Bucks 96-89 to start off before falling 92-82 to would-be semi-finalists Golden State Warriors the following day and eventually leaving Vegas with a 2-3 record.
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Buzelis thrived in his Summer League debut, dropping 28 points on 45.5% shooting — while going 4-for-8 from deep — in addition to five rebounds, and two steals.
Donovan III loved the group's competitive spirit and unselfishness, which made up for some execution issues.
As for Buzelis, the Bulls' Summer League was in awe of the G League Ignite alum and Chicago native's passion for hoops.
"I forget sometimes he's 19," the younger Donovan said.
"The way he loves the game and the way he goes about it — it's fun to watch. I think he's got a bright future.
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"I'm excited just to be part of his growth and development because he's helped me as well.
"So excited to watch his growth and how he develops."