GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Bill Donovan, the father of Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan whose own basketball exploits propelled him to the Boston College Hall of Fame, has died. He was 85.
Bill Donovan died Saturday, according to the obituary posted by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home in Gainesville, Florida.
A native of Queens, New York, Donovan captained the Boston College basketball team and graduated in 1962 as the No. 3 scorer in school history. He was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army and was married to his high school sweetheart, Joan, for 63 years.
They had three kids, including Billy, who helped Providence reach the NCAA Final Four in 1987 and coached Florida to 14 NCAA tournament appearances in 19 years and back-to-back championships in 2006-07.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
