Like a lot of highly-recruited high school players that were dominating when Donovan was coaching at Florida, Tristan Thompson was on the Gators’ radar before choosing Texas. It’s taken a long time, but the two were finally reunited, as Thompson joined the Bulls over the weekend.
At times it sounds like Billy Donovan recruited anyone that could dribble a basketball.
That’s probably because he did.
After all, during his 19-year career as the head coach of Florida, Donovan turned the Gators into a powerhouse, winning back-to-back national titles in 2006 and ’07. That type of recognition not only made Gainesville a destination place for top players, but had Donovan eyeing up the country’s elite.
Tristan Thompson was no exception.
“My high school coach wanted me to go there,’’ Thompson told reporters on Wednesday, meeting with the media for the first time since his signing became official over All-Star Weekend.
“Another one I lost,’’ Donovan interrupted, as Thompson was telling the story of his recruitment.
“It worked out well for you,’’ Thompson answered. “It worked out for both of us. Everything comes around in full circle.’’
That it has, almost 13 years later.
Thompson will make his Bulls debut on Thursday, with the organization hoping the veteran can not only back-up center Nikola Vucevic, but give the team another frontcourt physical presence for rim protection and rebounding.
The Bulls signed Thompson off the buyout market, after he was waived from the Pacers last week. They did so with the big picture in mind, knowing that there was still some uncertainty with Patrick Williams and his recovery from wrist surgery, and also surveying the playoff landscape.
The Cavaliers start three seven-footers, Milwaukee added Serge Ibaka to go along with elite forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Philadelphia has Joel Embiid, Miami has a physical frontcourt with Bam Adebayo and P.J. Tucker, and Brooklyn is expected to get Kevin Durant (knee) back sooner than later.
Going into the postseason short-handed and small up front would have been a dangerous gamble for a Bulls team that will start the second-half push tied with the Heat on top of the Eastern Conference.
That’s why Zach LaVine reached out and called Thompson over the weekend, before the signing was even official, just to welcome him.
“I think he’s going to bring another championship-level guy where he’s been in these games before,’’ LaVine said. “He can help us in these situations. With AK [executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas] and [general manager] Marc [Eversley] obviously, they’re going for it. They trust in me, they trust in DeMar [DeRozan], they trust in this group, and it just means a lot going into the last year of my contract that they’re putting a team around us that can compete.’’
Especially if they can continue to get healthy.
Donovan gave updates on all of his injured players, including the plan on LaVine and his left knee issues. It will remain an open line of communication with LaVine and the medical staff, and almost a game-by-game situation.
“How does he respond coming off a game the next day?’’ Donovan said of LaVine. “Does he feel back-to-backs are something he can do? I think in his meetings with the doctors, they’re all comfortable with him playing. It’s all really how he’s doing once he gets back to playing on a consistent basis. Right now, he feels good.’’
As for the rest, Lonzo Ball (knee surgery) continued ramping up his running this week, and the hope is still a mid-to-late-March return. Alex Caruso (wrist surgery) still hadn’t been cleared for basketball activity with the right hand, but was continuing to condition and work on his left hand. And Williams continued progressing, but still hasn’t been cleared for practice.