"I have not been contacted by anybody": Bulls HC Billy Donovan denies being approached for Kentucky job, remains 'committed' to Chicago

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was among the frontliners to potentially land the Kentucky Wildcats HC job, but the 58-year-old head tactician has already put down speculations in his own way. According to him, he hasn`t been approached for the position ever, and he remains committed to staying in the Windy City.

Donovan made this very clear in a recent Bulls press conference. The video of his statement was posted on X by the Chicago Tribune`s Julia Poe:

Here`s what Billy Donovan said while starting off reminiscing about his early days as an assistant in Lexington under former Wildcats HC Rick Pitino:

"Obviously I spent my first five years of coaching [at Kentucky]. Coach Pitino gave me a job; two kids, born there. I think at all my stops, you have very, very fond memories. I have not been contacted [by anybody], I haven`t spoken to anybody, my total focus and commitment is here, to this team."

As previously mentioned, Billy Donovan started his coaching career as an assistant with the Wildcats, staying there from 1989 until 1994. He wasn`t able to help lead the team to a national championship under Pitino, but his connections to the program definitely played into the rumors of him taking over after John Calipari`s official departure.

Calipari recently accepted a head coaching job for Arkansas after Kentucky`s disastrous showing in this year`s March Madness. The Wildcats lost in the first round to the heavy underdog Oakland Golden Grizzlies, prompting questions for the team`s future under Calipari`s tenure.

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Who will take over as Kentucky head coach?

Since Billy Donovan has already reiterated his commitment to the Chicago Bulls, a few other names still remain in the hunt for Kentucky`s next head coach.

One of them is the newly crowned back-to-back champion HC Dan Hurley of UConn. Aside from him, there was also former Villanova HC Jay Wright, and Alabama`s Nate Oats. However, all three men shot down the possibility themselves (via The Lexington Herald Leader). This then leaves one more candidate, Baylor`s Scott Drew.

The former NCAA champion with the Bears in 2021 is now reportedly being "targeted" by Kentucky, per recent reports (via 247Sports). These reports claim that Drew`s connection to current Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart is a big reason. Most notably, Barnhart spent considerable time as Tournament committee chair among Drew`s Baylor squad during their 2021 title run.

For now, however, neither Drew nor Barnhart has stepped forward to deny or confirm the rumors.