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By KEVIN BROCKWAY
Sun sports writer

L ike many, Louisville coach Rick Pitino has heard the domino theory that has Kentucky coach Tubby Smith heading to the NBA and Florida coach Billy Donovan heading to Lexington as the savior of Big Blue Nation.
Only Pitino doesn't see his protege leaving Florida for Kentucky any time soon, even if the job opens up.
"He would never even consider it in a million years," Pitino said. "And, on top of it, he's got his entire team back. I hope he does (leave). I might take that job."
Speculation that has surrounded Donovan for the opening at Indiana and any potential opening at Kentucky at this point is merely that. Donovan, in his 10th year at Florida, reiterated last week at the NCAA Tournament regionals in Jacksonville that he's happy at the school and has no intentions of leaving.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley refused to directly comment on speculation regarding other openings.
"Billy Donovan is a first-class coach," Foley said. "That's for you guys (the media) to talk about. Our focus is to try to go out and win a championship.
"People that throw that kind of stuff out there, it's kind of a disrespect to Florida because it treats us like a stepping-stone. Florida is a first-class university and Billy has built a first-class basketball program. We intend to keep him for a long time.{
Donovan is in the third year of a seven-year contract that pays an average salary of $1.7 million annually. Florida will make its third Sweet 16 appearance in 10 years under Donovan on Friday when the Gators face Georgetown in Minneapolis, Minn.
Donovan, 40, began his coaching career at Kentucky as a graduate assistant from 1989-1994. He played under Pitino in the Final Four at Providence in 1986, then guided Florida to a Final Four as a coach when the Gators reached the NCAA Finals in 2000.
This season, Florida is 29-6 with a team that starts four sophomores and a junior. Some projected Florida in the preseason as low as fifth in the SEC East and 70th nationally.
A source familiar with the Indiana coaching search revealed that Donovan's name was considered for the opening when Mike Davis resigned last month. But the Hoosiers appear to be leaning toward ex-player and current Iowa coach Steve Alford and Marquette coach Tom Crean.
"The head coach at Florida is not going to one of those schools," Pitino said. "When you're winning you're happy, you love your kids, you love the town, why would you even consider that? All it is, it's poor reporting and spreading rumors."
Donovan was rumored for past NBA openings in New York and Orlando and is a favorite of current Miami Heat coach and president Pat Riley.
Donovan has said in the past the NBA intrigues him because it's strictly basketball, but would be cautious in making the transition to the league with a poor team.
Ex-college coaches Lon Kruger (Atlanta Hawks), Leonard Hamilton (Washington Wizards) and John Calipari (New Jersey Nets) struggled in no-win situations in the NBA and eventually returned to coach in college.
Pitino returned to college to coach at Louisville after an unsuccessful 3-year stint with the Boston Celtics.
"If you said to me would Billy entertain the NBA someday and try it, Mike Krzyzewski interviewed with the Los Angeles Lakers, so anything's possible there," Pitino said. "But you don't leave the Louisvilles of the world or the Kentuckys of the world or the Floridas of the world for another college job. You just don't do that. They're lateral moves that make absolutely no sense at all."
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said Donovan is not in the running for the opening at Indiana and refused to speculate on Kentucky.
"I see Billy Donovan as a fixture at Florida for a long time," Vitale said. "It would take something very special for him to leave."

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