GAINESVILLE — Before former Florida men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan is to be enshrined in basketball history, he came back to where it all started.

Donovan received thunderous applause from the 89,451 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the Gators football opener on Saturday, a week before he’s set to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

“I’m grateful that I’ve got nominated for one and then two got inducted. So just very, very thankful,” he said.

Donovan was originally announced as a member of the 2025 class in San Antonio during the halftime break of Florida’s Final Four game against Auburn in March. One game later, the Gators broke their 18-year drought and brought a national title back to Gainesville, the first time since Donovan’s team did it in 2007.

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