Rick Pitino wants Providence to retire Billy Donovan's jersey
Providence coach Rick Pitino, left, shouts instructions to player Billy Donovan at the Final Four on March 28, 1987 Credit: AP/Susan Ragan
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Long Islanders were the keys when Providence made its 1987 run to the NCAA Final Four: coach Rick Pitino and star guard Billy Donovan.
Pitino was back at the Friars’ home court this week for St. John’s Big East game with Providence, But when he first brought his Red Storm to the building – now known as Amica Mutual Pavilion – he felt something was missing. Many banners hang from its rafters, but none mark Donovan’s career as a Friar.
“As I looked up today at shootaround, I saw two things that made me proud: there were the two Final Fours, 1973 – I played against that team [at UMass] – and of course 1987,” Pitino said. “Billy the Kid belongs up there in the rafters – he’s the reason we went to the Final Four.”
Donovan, a Rockville Centre product, has earned many accolades in basketball as a coach. He won two national titles at Florida and went on to the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder and now the Chicago Bulls. However, he first gained national prominence as Pitino’s point guard on the Final Four team.
Donovan helped St. Agnes to a Catholic championship as a high school senior and went on to Providence to play for coach Joe Mullaney. He played small roles his first two seasons, but when Pitino took over for Donovan’s last two seasons, he became the central player. In 1986-87, Donovan averaged 20.6 points and 7.1 assists.
“It had nothing to do with me or anybody else,” Pitino said of the 1987 Final Four run as he concluded his opening statement after St. Johns's 75-72 loss Tuesday night. “Billy the Kid was the reason [and] he belongs up with all those other great players. That’s my editorial.”
Providence has anointed two coaches and 11 players as “Friars Legends” and marked their careers with banners. The group includes former NBA player Kevin Stacom from Elmont and Lenny Wilkens from Brooklyn. Stacom played on the 1973 Final Four team.
Pitino, who starred at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, has never been shy about communicating how much he loved coaching at Providence, though he left after just two seasons to become the Knicks head coach.
"It’s great to be back here – it’s my unofficial alma mater,” Pitino said. “I wish it wasn’t only two years, but it was a great place and a great program.”
As Pitino concluded his post-game news conference he seemed to gesture to Providence athletics director Steve Napolillo, a Providence grad who worked his way up over 20 years in the athletic department. He said, “Please get Billy Donovan up there."
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
