A former Chicago Bulls All-Star has gotten candid about his former head coach Billy Donovan's induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.
MORE NEWS: 3 former Bulls stars 'in the mix' to make Hall of Fame, per insider
Donovan, who's been an NBA head coach since 2015-16 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, is likely getting into the Hall thanks to his NCAA accomplishments, particularly his tenure with Florida from 1996-2015.
During that stint, he guided the Gators to a 467-186 record, three NCAA Finals and two titles, seven Elite Eights, and 14 March Madness berths.
A college legend
His two champion Florida clubs in 2006 and '07 boasted a pair of future All-NBA big men in Al Horford and Joakim Noah, and three other future NBA players in shooting guard Corey Brewer and power forwards Marreese Speights and Chris Richard.
Noah and Richard, of course, both logged some run with the Bulls — albeit far before their college coach's 2020 arrival.
While chatting with K.C. Johnson of CHSN, Noah reflected on his relationship with Donovan over the years.
“I love him, and it’s so much bigger than just winning and losing.”
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) August 28, 2025
Joakim Noah on returning to Chicago and seeing his college coach leading the Bulls 🥹 pic.twitter.com/kl20L6DdcH
"It's definitely one of the highlights, whenever I come to Chicago, to be able to spend time with him," Noah said. "I love him, and it’s so much bigger than just winning and losing. He's somebody I consider like another father figure. So to have him leading the Bulls, it's a beautiful thing. We've shared so many special moments together."
Since announcing his retirement in 2020, the 6-foot-11 center has been serving as a Bulls team ambassador. Beyond showing love to the city where he enjoyed his best seasons as a pro, the former Defensive Player of the Year has also enjoyed being able to stay in touch with his NCAA head coach.
"He always gives me the real and tells me where he's at and what they need to do better," Noah told Johnson. "So I really get to hear it from the horse's mouth. So it's really an honor to be able to come back to Chicago, represent the Bulls, but also have Coach Donovan leading the way."
MORE NEWS: Bulls reportedly increase Josh Giddey contract offer amid ongoing stalemate