Donovan says he’ll bring ‘passion’ to job

After leading Florida to two consecutive NCAA Division I titles and building a budding dynasty in 11 years at the school, Billy Donovan is off to the NBA to coach the Orlando Magic.

“I feel like I’ve got great passion,” Donovan said Friday at a news conference in Orlando where he was officially named coach. “I feel like I’ve got a tremendous work ethic. I feel like I love the game. I know I’m going to work very, very hard at that, and I am excited about that kind of challenge.”

He has a five-year, $27.5 million contract and is not far from home as he tries to fashion a winner out of young talent. Donovan, whose Gators became the first back-to-back champions in 15 years, said the decision was a struggle.

“I felt like the future for me was how do I grow as a coach, as a person? How do I get better?” he said. “And I think the way you get better is taking on different challenges.”

Donovan, 42, replaces Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons. Hill’s ouster followed the Magic’s first playoff appearance in four years, which ended in the first round against Detroit.

*

Detroit Pistons forward Antonio McDyess will not be further penalized by the NBA for his rough foul in the first quarter on Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night at Auburn Hills, Mich.

McDyess received a flagrant-2 foul after he clothes-lined Varejao under the basket and was ejected. League spokesman Tim Frank said McDyess would not face any more discipline.

That’s good news for the Pistons, who trail, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series going into Game 6 tonight at Cleveland. One of Detroit’s top reserves, McDyess played only four minutes in the Pistons’ 109-107 double-overtime loss.