Despite the Bulls' loss, Donovan fondly recalls Westbrook's MVP season and competitive spirit.
The Chicago Bulls fell to the Sacramento Kings 126-110 on Sunday night at Golden 1 Center, but postgame conversation turned to the enduring bond between Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Kings veteran guard Russell Westbrook.
To wrap up the media conference, Donovan took time to reflect on his former player, whom he coached during their four seasons together with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015 to 2019. The former Thunder’s head coach said Westbrook was one of the people who texted him when his father, Bill Donovan, passed away at 85 last month.
"I really enjoyed my time with him. I appreciate how hard he worked and how competitive he was," Donovan said. "I was really, really happy to see him go through an unbelievable MVP-type of year. And just the way he played and what he did that year, and the way he carried our team was phenomenal."
Donovan and Westbrook spent four transformative seasons together in Oklahoma City, a period that witnessed Westbrook transition from co-star with Kevin Durant to the undoubtedly main face of the franchise following Durant's departure to Golden State in the summer of 2016.
The defining moment of their partnership came in the 2016-17 season when Westbrook, playing as a lone cornerstone with other young faces, became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season. During his tenure, Donovan gave Westbrook the freedom “to be who he is," empowering him to orchestrate the Thunder's offense with autonomy. That huge trust paid dividends as Westbrook captured the 2017 NBA MVP award in one of the most memorable individual seasons in recent NBA history.
Though the partnership experienced Westbrook’s personal triumph, it also consisted of consecutive playoff heartbreaks. In their first season together (2015-16), they reached the Western Conference Finals, famously leading the 73-win Warriors 3-1 before squandering the series. Following Durant's exit, Donovan coached Westbrook through three consecutive first-round playoff exits from 2017 to 2019, unable to advance despite Westbrook's dominant efforts.
On Sunday night, the 37-year-old Westbrook proved he still had fruitful fuel left in his tank, playing 34 minutes against his former coach's Bulls and posting a triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists, marking his 208th career triple-double while already leading the NBA record in the category.
Though both had parted ways with different franchises, the mutual respect between Donovan and Westbrook remains evident. Even in defeat, Donovan found time to honor the legacy they built together in Oklahoma City.