Donovan getting feet wet as Thunder coach

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Day by day, Billy Donovan is feeling more and more like an NBA head coach.

Just over two months after being tapped as the next man to lead to Oklahoma City Thunder, Donovan is in Orlando this week for summer league. Aside from it being one of his first true public appearances as OKC’s new coach, he’s also back at the site of his first kind of, sort of NBA stop.

In 2007, fresh off back-to-back NCAA titles at the University of Florida, Donovan left his mini-dynasty, and was introduced as the Magic’s new head coach. But after having a change of heart 24 hours later, he and the Magic amicably agreed to part ways a week later.

Though the intimate setting of summer league did put Donovan in the vicinity of a handful of Magic executives, and even former Orlando general manager Otis Smith on Monday, he said he’s not feeling too awkward this week.

Instead of allowing himself to think about the past, what Donovan is doing is putting his energy into fostering relationships with the players he will soon be working with. He’s not coaching this week, but is getting to spend time with Thunder all-star forward Kevin Durant, along with guards Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow.

All three have been fixtures on the sidelines with Donovan and his new assistant coaches.