Donovan’s son joins UF basketball team

Coming out of high school three years ago, Billy Donovan said he had no interest in playing for his father — and shared namesake — at Florida

Instead, the Gainesville St. Francis product went to Catholic University, where in his sophomore season he scored 5.9 points per contest and played in 27 games, including an exhibition last year against the Gators.

On Tuesday, however, the 6-foot-2 Donovan announced he is again coming home — this time to stay.

After spending two years in Washington D.C. at Catholic, Donovan has transferred to Florida and will walk on this season as a shooting guard.

“It’s going to be great to have Billy here, both for our team and for our family,” Gators coach Billy Donovan said in a UF release. “I always want to be supportive and put him in a position to succeed, and I hope this will be a great experience for him.”

While the younger Donovan must sit out the 2012-2013 season per NCAA transfer rules, he can still participate when the team opens practice Friday.

“I’m looking forward to contributing any way I can,” he said. “I’m excited to be a part of this team and to fill any role that helps make us better.”

john boothe
John is a former editor and sportswriter with The Independent Florida Alligator and is a recent graduate of the UF College of Journalism and Communications. Over the last three years, he has also written articles for the Ocala Star-Banner and the Gainesville Sun while covering Florida Gators basketball, soccer, women’s lacrosse and local high school sports. A proud native of Ocala, Fla., John likes to fish the Withlacoochee Bay for trout and redfish and listen to bluegrass in his spare time.