Billy Donovan "We're Really Gonna Need Each Other"

Billy Donvan talks about navigating life in the bubble.

Billy Donovan started his coaching career 31 years ago under Rick Patino at Kentucky.  During that time, he has won two National Championships and come one win away from going to the NBA Finals, and we're not even scratching the surface. 

That being said, it's very doubtful that in those 31 years, anything could have prepared him for what the last twelve months have been like in Oklahoma City. Though it all, Donovan maintains a level head.  

Losing multiple superstars, having guys take leaves of absence, and injuries are normal things any NBA coach has to work through. However, there is no handbook for how to handle your team in a pandemic. 

Cover up and #ThunderUp at the @thundershop!

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Lucky for Donovan, he doesn't have to do this alone. Not only does he have well-equipped staff around him, but the Thunder are also blessed with a group of veterans that can help alleviate any anxiety, young players may feel while dealing with life in the bubble. 

"We've got a lot of really good guys, the veterans like Steven [Adams] and Chris [Paul] and Gallo [Danilo Gallinari] Dennis [Schroder] even Andre those guys aren't only really really good leaders but, they're great people."..."I think there's a lot invested, and all the guys understand what's really important."

"We've gotta really take care of ourselves; we've gotta take care of each other, we gotta support each other, we're just coming upon our first week here we'll see what it looks like after two, three, four weeks."

The big test for every player will be how sane they stay while being cut off from the outside world. The Kings Rachaun Holmes and The Rockets Bruno Caboclo are both back in quartine after leaving the Disney campus. 

Having Paul, the President of the plays association as one of your teammates should help keep any young players in line if they get curious about the outside world. Winning the championship could very well come down to who's disciplined enough to follow the rules. 

And if that's the case, my money is on the Thunder. 

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.