Don Wilson Sports Highlights: Florida's Coach
Florida's basketball program has been very good. It of course has a lot to do with the leader and coach, Billy Donovan. It seems there has been "talk" about Kentucky making him an offer after the season is over. But Donovan says he is only focused on UCLA which is the next game (as he should be)...
Kentucky officials are prepared to offer Florida coach Billy Donovan an annual raise of more than $1 million as part of a contract that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball.
Sources close to Kentucky's search said the school is prepared to tender an offer to Donovan early next week, either after Florida is eliminated from this weekend's Final Four in the Georgia Dome, or after it plays Monday night for its second consecutive national championship.
When asked whether he has authorized anyone to negotiate with Kentucky on his behalf, Donovan said Friday, "Absolutely not. I have told our athletic director that I am focused on UCLA. What a great opportunity ... and there shouldn't be any distraction with any of this stuff."
The sources said Donovan, a former Kentucky assistant under Rick Pitino, is the Wildcats' top choice to replace Tubby Smith, who unexpectedly resigned last week to become Minnesota's coach. Kentucky's starting point in the negotiations will be a seven-year contract that would pay Donovan at least $2.8 million per season and as much as $3.5 million with performance-based incentives, the sources said.
Read more from the Don Wilson Quixtar IBO Sports News article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2819224&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines
Source: ESPN
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