Mitch Johnson, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, faced serious heat for his decisions during their NBA Finals run, especially those against the New York Knicks where they blew double-digit leads in all five losses. Now, the Spurs have made a move that clearly shows they’re not messing around: they just added Hall of Famer Billy Donovan to the coaching staff, a move that Johnson himself admitted is going to help him “a ton this year.”
The Genius Move That Came After the Finals Fiasco
Johnson clearly sees Donovan as an absolutely vital resource. When a reporter asked him about the addition, Johnson didn’t even try to play it cool. He just smiled and dropped a truth bomb, saying he wasn’t “naive enough to think that I’m going to be able to tell you what a 61-year-old Hall of Fame coach like Billy Donovan and his resume can bring to the table.” You can feel the excitement from Johnson, who said he’s “very excited he’s here.” He’s not wrong. Donovan is a big deal. Johnson called him a “tremendous person” with a “great personality” who “fits in seamlessly.” And it’s not just about stories from the good old days, either. Johnson stressed that Donovan has “worlds of experience,” is an “extremely hard worker,” and isn’t “kicking his feet up and telling stories. He’s rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty.” That kind of energy and leadership is exactly what a team needs after a Finals loss, especially one where the head coach caught so much flak.
Why Billy Donovan Is the Ultimate Wingman
The Spurs snagged Donovan in the offseason to fill a huge gap left by Sean Sweeney, their former associate head coach and defensive mastermind, who bounced to become coach of the Orlando Magic. Donovan, who reportedly also pursued the Orlando job, is stepping in as Johnson’s top lieutenant, bringing an insane amount of head coaching experience. We’re talking 11 seasons leading NBA teams, with the last five spent with the Chicago Bulls and six before that with the Oklahoma City Thunder. His NBA coaching record sits at a solid 469-413. He even guided Oklahoma City to the 2016 Western Conference finals in his very first season there. And let’s not forget his legendary 19-year run with the Florida Gators, where he snagged national championships in 2006 and 2007. He also led Florida to an NCAA title game in 2000 and a total of four Final Four appearances. This guy knows how to win, plain and simple.
After Johnson, who’s only 39, got absolutely blasted by critics for his postseason decisions, especially in those Finals losses, bringing in a seasoned veteran like Donovan is a power move. Johnson himself admitted Donovan is “going to help all of us and me probably specifically a ton this year.” With Donovan rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty, the Spurs are clearly trying to get over the hump and take that “next step toward becoming a championship team.” You have to wonder what kind of specific adjustments and defensive strategies this new duo will cook up. The league better be ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply