When Billy Donlon was at a professional low in March, fired as Wright State’s head coach, he expected to hear from many of his college basketball coaching friends.
He and John Beilein knew each other a bit, but weren’t particularly close.
So when Beilein quickly reached out to Donlon, fired after six mostly successful years with the Raiders, it resonated.
“It had nothing to do with the job opening, it was coach Beilein,” said Donlon, hired last week as a new U-M assistant coach. “I was honored that he would think of me. It also again continued to make me think there isn’t a better person.