Down in Dallas on March 22, 1988, Billy Donovan scored 14 points in 14 minutes for the New York Knickerbockers. Six days later, the Knicks cut Donovan and soon enough, he was working in New York, all right. As a stockbroker.
Over the 4,751 days since the Knicks waived Donovan, he spent two days in the NBA, as coach of the Orlando Magic in June 2007 before changing his mind and going back to the University of Florida. Until Thursday, when the Thunder announced that Donovan was the choice to coach Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
If it seems like a risk, if it seems shaky to hire a guy who has spent more time on Wall Street than in the NBA, if it seems like the Thunder needs a surer thing considering a championship would be awfully convenient in about 14 months, think of it this way.