The history of the University of Florida basketball program from its beginnings to the arrival of Billy Donovan, told by a former player and longtime Gator sports analyst
 
“Bill Koss knows Florida basketball inside and out. Bill has captured the spirit and passion of Gator basketball.”—Billy Donovan, former head basketball coach, University of Florida  
 
“Bill Koss was a classmate of mine and a basketball player at the University of Florida in the mid-sixties. He knows more about Florida basketball than anyone I know, and this book is a superb chronicle of the good, the bad, and the hilarious times of Florida basketball. If you love the Gators and love Florida basketball, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book.”—Steve Spurrier, former head football coach, University of Florida  
 
“This book gives Gator fans the real story on Gator hoops. A great insight into the ups and downs through all the years.”—Dick Vitale, basketball commentator, ESPN  
 
“Bill Koss brings his passion for Gator basketball and his knowledge of the game and pours it out in this entertaining look at the history of University of Florida basketball. This book is a must read for Gator fans and will also be enjoyed by basketball’s casual fan.”—David Steele, announcer for the Orlando Magic  
 
“This book brings Florida basketball to life like never before.”—Jeremy Foley, former athletic director, University of Florida  
 
“Bill is absolutely Florida’s best basketball fan. He is the only person who could have done this subject justice.”—Lon Kruger, former head basketball coach, University of Florida  
 
“Koss and Gator hoops are inextricably intertwined. . . . Koss’s insight and wealth of knowledge about the program provide the depth and detail of Pond Birds.”—Gainesville Sun  
 
In the 1960s, the University of Florida football players began calling the long-legged Gator basketball players “pond birds.” Bill Koss was one of them. In Pond Birds, Koss tells the definitive story of Florida Gators men’s basketball from the program’s modest beginnings in 1916, through decades of highs and lows that included 55 years without an SEC conference title, and into the pivotal years leading up to the onset of Billy Donovan’s transformative tenure in 1996.            
 
Koss takes a deep dive into the moments and personalities that shaped the program, such as the fiery leadership of coach Norm Sloan and the steady, strategic approach of Lon Kruger. Stories of recruitment efforts, both failed and successful, and the arrival of Gatorade make this book both a sports history and a cultural snapshot of college athletics in a bygone era. For diehard Gator fans and college basketball enthusiasts of all allegiances, Pond Birds is a reminder that greatness is built over time with perseverance. Now that Florida basketball has three national championships, Pond Birds invites readers to appreciate the journey from Point A to Point B—and leaves them eager for the next chapter.  
 
Bill Koss was a starting center for the Florida Gators from 1963 to 1965. After serving the team as an assistant coach from 1966 to 1972, he became a radio and television commentator for various outlets, including Sun Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. In 2008 he was inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2013 he was named an Allstate SEC Basketball Legend.

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