OKC Thunder timeline in Billy Donovan era
The Billy Donovan era came to an end Tuesday night with a statement from the Thunder that may have signaled the team would enter its first rebuild since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008.
In a statement, Thunder general manager Sam Presti said that the mutual decision to part ways with its coach of five seasons came after "it became apparent that we couldn’t provide him the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career."
Here's a quick rundown of Donovan's five-season tenure with the Thunder:
April 30, 2015: Hired as Oklahoma City Thunder head coach, replacing Scott Brooks.
2015-16: Guided the Thunder to a 55-27 record and first-place finish in the Northwest Division. OKC reached the Western Conference finals, where it blew a 3-1 lead and lost to the Golden State Warriors.
2016-17: Led OKC to a 47-35 record and a second-place finish in the Northwest Division. The Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Rockets.
2017-18: Oklahoma City finished 48-34 and second in the Northwest Division. Eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs.
2018-19: The Thunder finished 49-33 and fourth in the Northwest Division. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Portland Trail Blazers.
2019-2020: Perhaps Donovan's finest job coaching. After the team traded a pair of All-Stars (franchise point guard Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets and forward Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers), Donovan led OKC to a 44-28 record and the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City took a powerful Houston club to seven games in a first-round playoff series, before losing. Donovan was selected by the National Basketball Coaches Association as its Coach of the Year.
Sept. 8, 2020: The Thunder announces that Donovan would not return as OKC coach with his contract expiring at the end of the 2019-20 season. The Thunder had a 243-157 regular-season record under Donovan.
Scott Munn, Assistant sports editor

![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. San Antonio won 114-106. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-0d061f42a3c544232ec7ff080e1eba3c.jpg)
![Oklahoma City's Billy Donovan reacts during NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-342e8cd6bd372f6e46e4aa3532353587.jpg)
![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers at Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Oklahoma City won 127-119. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/sq150-66a5561686ef538eabb700df7a19f4d2.jpg)

![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. San Antonio won 114-106. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. San Antonio won 114-106. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-0d061f42a3c544232ec7ff080e1eba3c.jpg)
![Oklahoma City's Billy Donovan reacts during NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City's Billy Donovan reacts during NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. [Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-342e8cd6bd372f6e46e4aa3532353587.jpg)
![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with the team during a timeout in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. Oklahoma State lost 76-64. Oklahoma City lost 115-108. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with the team during a timeout in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Jan. 17, 2020. Oklahoma State lost 76-64. Oklahoma City lost 115-108. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-30b38e05ccbe0b62f7a3f89cd09ea5ca.jpg)
![Oklahoma City's Steven Adams talks with coach Billy Donovan during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City's Steven Adams talks with coach Billy Donovan during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-a020e567461675dcf956ca29e2441214.jpg)
![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan speaks with Nerlens Noel, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chris Paul during a timeout in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Oklahoma City won 115-104. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan speaks with Nerlens Noel, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chris Paul during a timeout in an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Oklahoma City won 115-104. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-f0ff58f5ab04c799d81b62287376ff90.jpg)
![Oklahoma City's Chris Paul (3) talks with coach Billy Donovan during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Oklahoma City won 115-104. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City's Chris Paul (3) talks with coach Billy Donovan during an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. Oklahoma City won 115-104. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-03074bf588e01371e177e950ae03e741.jpg)
![Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers at Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Oklahoma City won 127-119. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]
Photo - Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan talks with Oklahoma City's Steven Adams (12) an NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers at Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. Oklahoma City won 127-119. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman]](http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-66a5561686ef538eabb700df7a19f4d2.jpg)



















Scott Munn joined The Oklahoman/Oklahoma City Times sports staffs in October 1982. He spent a year as a formcharter, three years on the desk and 16 as a reporter. Scott has spent the last nine years as an evening assistant sports editor. Scott's... Read more ›