Billy Donovan Quotes (367 Quotes)

The complexion of college basketball has changed so much.

I don't care how old you are, there's a level of humility that comes with that.

When we lost to Manhattan, we were banged up. That's not making excuses. I just didn't like the passion we played with in that tournament.

I always felt I was going to have a lot of fun coaching these guys. They've had the right attitude, and winning has been the byproduct of it.

I respect and appreciate him for coming across the country and playing at Florida. I think Ryan being away from his family and not playing as much was tough on him, and he saw that (since graduated guard) Anthony Roberson was coming back.

What happened is significant in basketball in the state of Florida, is significant to the University of Florida. To be a part of it, as I am, I'll remember this for the rest of my life. I'll remember these 10 years, in terms of trying to build things and create a level of consistency.

It's a new day, a new season, a new opportunity for both basketball teams.

I get great pleasure seeing our kids enjoy the game. It's not about me or how young I am. But it's about the people you coach all the time, and I get a lot of pleasure seeing our kids celebrate.

Our basketball team this year has played with energy they've played with passion and enthusiasm. And this time of year, those things will keep you around and keep you in the game, but they're not good enough to win the game.

Did I think I would be here for 10 years You never know. You almost have to go one year at a time and try to do the very best job you can. . . . It's very hard to stay at a place a very, very long period of time.

Every time we were ready to blow it open, they hit a three.

During the tournament, it seems like all the games are like this. We're very, very fortunate to win. It could've gone either way.

This year people have made a bigger deal of our chemistry or unselfishness because we're a little more balanced.

I have to give Georgetown a lot of credit. They did a good job defensively. I thought we had some looks coming in and around the basket. We were very, very fortunate to win. It could have gone either way. I think the Georgetown kids played a great game.

I still feel it's a learning and growing process for our guys. I'm shocked, unbelievably surprised, that we're 23-6. We've obviously lost a lot of close games, but if you would have told me that Brewer would be out for a stretch and Lee Humphrey would have a separated shoulder, I would have told you we would have had some problems.

I don't know if you do pressure, if it's going to necessarily make them shoot any quicker. I think what becomes important in playing them is your late shot-clock defense.

I don't know if they will. Like I said, we have to go through this ... I'm not really concerned. For me, it's about the growth and development of our team and our kids getting better.

We are trying to build tradition. Kentucky's the one that has the tradition and we are trying to get there.

Their ability not to embrace success.

It was the first summer he had to get better. It's been a progression for him. There were times his freshman and sophomore year when he got the ball in the post and he was just looking to pass it back out.

I'm concerned a little bit that it may go through our team. If anybody does come back positive, we'll try to start them on some antibiotics. This is the time of year, but I don't use that as an excuse. . . . We all have to deal with challenges and different things that happen throughout the course of the year.

We're blocking more shots than we have in the last several years, but I don't think as a coaching staff we're saying this is a point of emphasis for our defense. We don't want to be a team that's just jumping up in the air trying to block shots because there are a lot of things that happen that are not good if you don't block it. So we just have to be selective.

I don't think our guys are upset or bothered by it. That's something that's beyond their control. People can talk about the George Mason story and rightfully so. It's a great story that I think will inspire many people outside of college basketball.

I think it was a great experience for our players. Obviously, it's hard to prepare for the White House on such short notice, but I think they enjoyed themselves on the trip.

They want to stay together as a group and they want to play together as a team. It was their decision.

I have confidence putting Walter and David in the game. I'm not going to not play those guys. They deserve an opportunity to play. They may not always play well, but they're going to play hard.

Lee fell off his bicycle, that was pretty much it. That's all it really is, no car accident or anything like that. It was a freak thing that I feel bad about for Lee, but we've got to try to get him back as soon as we can.

My biggest thing with the crowd coming on the court was just in terms of the players' safety. It looks good on TV, but you're always concerned or worried that there is going to be some type of altercation.

I still don't necessarily believe we (are) the best team in the country. When you're playing in an event that's a one-and-done deal, anything can happen. I've been on the side of it where it ends in a heart-breaking manner. And now I've been on the side where it's obviously just an incredible feeling.

I thought the release by one of them there in the second half at the end of the game, his follow through did not look good on it and it came up short. Lee was in here (Sunday) night getting shots up. I've obviously got to be intelligent here because I've got a player burden in Brewer and we're down to eight scholarship guys. It's not like every day Lee can run and bang and go up and down the floor.

It's good to see him do well because he was non-existent at South Carolina. He's having a phenomenal year. I'm hoping he can continue to evolve and move forward. We missed his rebounding last game, but he did a terrific job on both ends of the floor today. It's good to see him learning.

I am very, very proud of these kids. It has been such a remarkable run up to this point, just with so much uncertainty surrounding this season with people leaving early and these guys having to step up.

At the time, it did bother me but as I've gotten older in this business I realize there can be a lot of negativity and things said. I take a lot of pride in trying to build a program.

They have a chance to be special this year, ... They should be, without question, one of the top five teams in the country.

They generally come out and say, Billy if you continue on, you're going to get one. It's very clear where you're at.

Chris has seen himself improve and get better. And I think that is a tribute to him really making some great strides as a person in terms of his work ethic, in terms of competing, in terms of understanding what we want as coaches.

Georgia is a basketball team that's much improved from the 3-point line. There's no question that offensively they are a lot more explosive than they were a year ago.

It was a back-and-forth basketball game. Both teams had a chance to win, but give Arkansas credit. They were able to find a way to come out with a victory.

I have no problem with anyone storming the court. But storm the court after the opposing team has gone to the locker room. Once the opposing team is out of the area, put them all (the fans) on the court.

He carried our team offensively, no question. The thing that was so shocking was he only took 14 shots. The thing that was so impressive was he got to the free-throw line 22 times.

You guys get more interested in all the details. All I know is that the guy's got a hurt shoulder. How it happened doesn't really make a difference. Maybe it was defective spokes or maybe he needs training wheels, I don't know. I just know he slipped off his bike.

We missed a lot of easy baskets and missed a lot of opportunities. We had decent looks and couldn't convert in a lot of situations.

I can tell you that these kids have a great deal of love and concern and care for one another.

It wasn't just about this game. It was about all the games going back to November.

Their balance is definitely a concern.

It's not about just getting to the NBA with these guys. It's about making an impact. This is their decision.

There might be some truth to (more pressure playing close to home). Kids say, 'There's so many people there I want to do so well,' so that can happen. If you're out in San Diego you're just kind of playing. (But) I don't think these guys will feel that way -- I hope they don't.

It was a good win for us. Vanderbilt is a very good basketball team. Vanderbilt is a very difficult team to play against. The biggest thing is that our basketball team is still learning. Vanderbilt did some things to us at first where we had to settle in and we picked it up, certainly in the second half, but the first 10 minutes were tough.

I felt like our team learned a lot today. I think our guys understand a little bit more how hard you've got to compete, and I'm talking about physically. Our guys play with great emotion and energy, but there's also a physical side they've got to learn. They are an unfinished product, but they really try. We played aggressively, we got up and down the floor and we played our style.

When he's letting it go and shooting with confidence like that, it makes us a different team. Some days, it might not be his night, but we need for him to continue to be aggressive.