The Oklahoma City Thunder will see a familiar face on the other side when they face the San Antonio Spurs this season. The current Thunder head coach has a message on him ahead of opening night.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave a touching message to new Spurs lead assistant coach Billy Donovan, who had been a mentor to Daigneault when he was just emerging as a coach in OKC.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer joined the staff of Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, filling a critical vacancy created when former associate head coach Sean Sweeney departed to lead the Orlando Magic.
Donovan, 61, arrived in San Antonio shortly after stepping down from his position as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in April 2026, choosing to dive straight back into coaching alongside the reigning Western Conference champions.
“He’ll embrace it. There’s a reason he’s doing it. He loves to coach. He loves basketball. He loves competing. He loves being around it,” Daigneault said via Justin Martinez of the Oklahoman. “I don’t know how many people, if I’m being honest, are humble enough to go in the Hall of Fame in September and then take an assistant coaching job in (July). But he’s one of them. He’s a unique, original guy. That’s just the latest example of it.”
“He’ll embrace it. There’s a reason he’s doing it. He loves to coach. He loves basketball. He loves competing. He loves being around it. I don’t know how many people, if I’m being
Mark Daigneault and Billy Donovan’s Deep Relationship
Their connection began in 2010 when Donovan hired Daigneault as a low-level staffer and graduate assistant at the University of Florida. Donovan was impressed by his tireless work ethic, film studies, and skill in developing a strong connection with college athletes so Donovan continuously trusted him with expanded responsibilities over four seasons.
In 2014, Donovan helped open the door for Daigneault to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate, the OKC Blue. Their paths converged again just eight months later when Donovan was named the head coach of the Thunder.
The duo reunited on the Thunder’s NBA bench during the 2019-2020 season when Daigneault served as Donovan’s direct assistant. When Donovan departed for the Chicago Bulls in 2020, Daigneault was his natural successor as head coach in Oklahoma City, a team that was then rebuilding around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander also played under Donovan in his first season in OKC. Donovan also reached the Western Conference Finals once in 2016 with the Thunder, when they still had Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on their roster.
Daigneault has credited Donovan for helping him find his foundational voice as an elite NBA coach, while Donovan used his 2025 Naismith Hall of Fame induction speech to praise Daigneault’s championship success as a great friend.
Thunder, Spurs Continue Rivalry This Season
The Thunder and the Spurs are looking to build upon last spring’s tightly contested series where Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs narrowly edged out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder in a dramatic seven-game Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs retained their core after making it to the NBA Finals last season but lost to the New York Knicks. Meanwhile, the Thunder lost some key pieces such as Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe but are now healthier with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell returning.
They are set to renew their rivalry with a regular-season opening night matchup at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
Thunder Head Coach Sends Message To Former Thunder Mentor Who Joined Spurs