Matt Doherty

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Matthew Francis Doherty (born February 25, 1962) most recently was the Atlantic 10 Conference's associate commissioner for men's college basketball, resigning in April, 2019.

He was also formerly an American college basketball coach and commentator as well as a scout for the NBA.

Doherty was the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Florida Atlantic Owls, and the SMU Mustangs.

Prior to his head coaching jobs, Doherty played with North Carolina for four years before returning to basketball three years later as a color commentator for various high school and college programs, including Davidson.

Later he became an assistant coach, first at Davidson, then at Kansas.

Early years

Doherty was born in East Meadow, New York. In his teenage years, he went to high school at Holy Trinity DHS in Hicksville, New York. Bob McKillop was his coach during his first two years at Holy Trinity. Doherty was the first freshman McKillop started on his varsity Holy Trinity teams.

Doherty was on the 1980 Holy Trinity team that won the Class A New York state high school boys basketball championship.

While at Holy Trinity, Doherty was named to the second team of the Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team, in 1979. Doherty was also a McDonald's All-American, playing in the 1980 game.

In October 1979, Doherty committed to playing for the Tar Heels. Other schools tried to recruit Doherty before he could legally sign his letter of intent, but North Carolina basketball staffers checked on Doherty, calling and visiting him until he could sign his letter of intent.

Personal life

While Doherty was coaching at Davidson, he married Kelly Propst, also an alumna of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They have two children, Tucker (born 1997) and Hattie (born 1999). As of 2019, Tucker is a junior at Bellarmine University where he plays lacrosse and Hattie followed in her parents' footsteps in attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is a sophomore and competes in rowing.

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College career

Doherty was a reserve small forward in his rookie year. Due to a fractured left thumb, he only played nine games in the first half of his freshman year. Doherty had 67 assists and averaged six points and three rebounds per game in the 28 games he played in his freshman year. He lost in the 1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game against Indiana.

Doherty competed on the National Sports Festival in 1981, 1981.

Doherty didn't start his freshman year in large part because of Dean Smith's reluctance to welcome newbies. Doherty was selected as a starting forward by his sophomore year. According to the AP Poll, he appeared on the November 30, 1981-82 issue previewing the 1981–82 season, naming North Carolina as the preseason's top team. James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and Jimmy Black, Smith's other upperclassmen starters for the team, were also on the front page with Smith, including James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and Jimmy Black. (Michael Jordan, one of Smith's few freshmen players, was barred from the cover because Smith did not encourage newspaper coverage of rookies before they played their first game.)

Doherty converted.772 percent of his free throws on his 72 free throws; his free throw percentage was the highest on any player on the 1981-82 team. He had 105 assists and averaged 9.3 points and three rebounds per game. Doherty scored at a critical point in North Carolina's triumph over Virginia in the 1982 NCAA men's basketball championship, and he was one of the top scorers of the 1982 NCAA East Regional semifinal match against Alabama. He was also selected in the ACC All-Tournament Second Team pick.

With 150 assists, Doherty led the 1982-83 team in assists, with 150 assists. He had 10.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Doherty was also named as the team's Most Valuable defensive player of the season.

Doherty scored 28 points in the 1983 ACC men's basketball tournament quarterfinal against Clemson, the most points he earned in a single game during his college career. For the second year in a row, he was selected to the ACC All-Tournament Second Team.

Doherty played on the 1983 United States Select team before his senior season.

Doherty, along with Perkins and Cecil Exum, was a co-captain of the 1983-84 squad. Doherty was also this team's assistant leader, with 124 assists. He had a 9.8 points and four rebounds per game.

Doherty was named as a First Team selection in his last ACC Tournament in 1984. He was also on the ACC All-Academic squad.

Doherty, a four-year letterman from North Carolina, was a letterman. Doherty was the second individual in ACC history to win 1,000 points, 400 rebounds, and 400 assists in a collegiate career. The Tar Heels won the 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament for the fourth season in North Carolina.

Doherty received the Jim Tatum Memorial Award in 1984, an honor given by the University of North Carolina's Chancellor that recognizes athletes who also participate in community service.

Doherty graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1984 with a degree in business administration.

Assistant coaching career

Doherty began his teaching with a Charlotte-based Amateur Athletic Union team, alongside former Tar Heel star Charles Waddell. Before McInnis came to UNC-Chapel Hill, Doherty coached Jeff McInnis.

Doherty was hired as an assistant basketball coach at Davidson in 1989, where McKillop was the head coach. Doherty served as an assistant coach at Davidson for three seasons.

Doherty, who had been an assistant to Smith during Doherty's time at North Carolina, became an assistant coach at Kansas under Roy Williams in 1992. Doherty was a Kansas student for seven years. The Jayhawks won four Big 8 and Big 12 titles and advanced to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament every year during Doherty's time at Kansas. During his time in Kansas, Doherty was a keen recruiter. Several of the players he coached went on to play in the NBA, including but not limited to Paul Pierce, Drew Gooden, and Kirk Hinrich. Other Kansas players discussed how Doherty recruited them to the media. T.J. Pugh said in an interview with the Lawrence Journal-World that Doherty sent him a single match with the note "We think you and KU are a great match," as well as an air sickness bag with the note "We'll be sick if you don't choose Kansas" written on it. Raef LaFrentz, a writer for USA Today, said that Doherty drew him a cartoon called "Jayhawk Slammer" which featured a player dunking several people.

Coaching career

Doherty was appointed as the head coach of Notre Dame men's basketball on March 30, 1999, less than a month after John MacLeod resigned. Doherty said he was mentioned in the news for other coaching positions, but he never was given these positions personally at Doherty's Notre Dame press conference, but he never was given one. As a result, Doherty thought it had been turning down several other teaching positions before the Notre Dame coaching career began.

Doherty and his only Notre Dame team had hoped to qualify for the 2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. But with a regular season record of 16-13 and a quarterfinal loss to Miami in the 2000 Big East men's basketball tournament, Doherty's Notre Dame team did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. Rather, they received an invitation to the 2000 National Invitation Tournament. The Notre Dame team of Doherty reached the NIT finals, losing to Wake Forest. The Notre Dame team in Doherty finished their season with a 22-15 record.

On June 30, 2000, Bill Guthridge decided to retire at the end of the 1999–2000 North Carolina basketball season. After Guthridge's departure, North Carolina basketball students interviewed Roy Williams for the head coaching role. Roy Williams was mistakenly named as head coach by the Herald-Sun of Durham, North Carolina, before deciding on the North Carolina coaching position. Williams decided to stay in Kansas. Other coaches, including John Calipari, were interested in the teaching position, but Guthridge and Smith insisted they were looking for a coach with ties to North Carolina's basketball program. All North Carolina basketball alumni, including George Karl, Larry Brown, Eddie Fogler, Jeff Lebo, Jeff Lebo, and Randy Wiel, have applied for the opening. Later, Karl, Brown, and Fogler dropped their names from consideration. Dick Baddour, then the UNC-Chapel Hill athletic director, was scheduled to recommend Doherty. On July 11, 2000, Doherty was named head coach of North Carolina. After a phone call with Jordan earlier that day, Doherty decided to work. Jordan told Doherty that the North Carolina coaching job could go to someone who didn't play or coach at North Carolina.

Doherty wondered if he could bring his own employees from Notre Dame to North Carolina, a request that was supported by North Carolina's basketball staff. Doherty brought his assistant coaches, Fred Quartlebaum, and Bob MacKinnon, as well as his basketball operations manager, David Cason, who hails from Notre Dame. Doherty said he was honoring the loyalty of those who served with him at Notre Dame, and that Smith would have done the same thing. Rather, Smith and North Carolina basketball players were furious that Doherty had fired Guthridge's assistant coaches Phil Ford, Dave Hanners, and Pat Sullivan. Ford, Hanners, and Sullivan did not only play for North Carolina (unlike Doherty's Notre Dame coaching staff), but they were also involved in recruiting players prior to Doherty's arrival. Doherty later said he was deceived by North Carolina basketball players. However, some coaches applauded Doherty for retaining his Notre Dame teaching staff after he took over North Carolina's head coach. Doherty also fired some of the front office workers who worked in the basketball office, causing a shock among North Carolina basketball employees.

Doherty made a speech to his new team in July 2000. The speech did not go exactly as Doherty intended the message to go; players were confused by Doherty's address, and Smith, who was still working in the basketball office, wanted to check in on Doherty's early habits. Smith continued to call Doherty throughout the season to congratulate him on his victories and to encourage Doherty to reminisce about his victories more often.

"Midnight with Matt and the Tar Heels" was Doherty's first public appearance as North Carolina's head coach at a Midnight Madness festival in North Carolina, then called "Midnight with Matt and the Tar Heels" after his first public appearance as North Carolina's head coach. As he stepped into Carmichael Auditorium in the team's warm-up clothing and shoes, Doherty received a standing ovation. He was involved in several of the event's activities, including a three-point shooting competition and a 3 on 3 competition between the coaching staff and champions from UNC-Chapel Hill's intramural basketball teams.

Doherty's first season began with a match against Winthrop. During a time out after Forte committed a turnover, Doherty named Joseph Forte a "motherfucking prima donna." In an attempt to keep his team's attention, Doherty received a technical foul by marching on the court and stomping his feet. Fans of Doherty's technical foul applauded.

Doherty has apologised for a loss against Kentucky. The Tar Heels went on an 18-game winning streak after losing in Kentucky. The Tar Heels won the 2000 Hardee's Tournament of Champions, which was hosted in the Charlotte Coliseum, during this stretch. Doherty, who was dissatisfied with the first half of the game against UMass, threw a chair in the Tar Heels' locker room at halftime. Doherty said he needed to buy a new chair to replace the one he threw in the locker room at a post-game press conference.

Curry Kirkpatrick, who was writing about Doherty in ESPN The Magazine's February 12, 2001 match against Duke in Durham, in which he mused that Duke had "the ugliest cheerleaders in the ACC," Doherty said in a team huddle. Doherty's remark provoked outrage on Duke University's campus, but Doherty did not make an apology after the story came out.

During the 2001 game against Duke in Chapel Hill, Doherty received a technical foul. After hearing the technical foul, Doherty's crowd erupted.

Tar Heels of Doherty won the 2000–01 ACC regular season championship with Duke. In his first season as a men's basketball coach, Doherty became the first men's basketball coach to win a regular season championship crown in the ACC. In the AP Poll, he was the first coach to play for, and then coach, teams. Doherty was named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year after the regular season ended.

The Tar Heels made it to the final of the 2001 ACC men's basketball tournament, but they fell in the final to Duke. The Tar Heels won an at-large invitation to the 2001 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, but Penn State eliminated them in the second round. They had a 26-7 record in their season. Michael Brooker, a fifth-year head coach for North Carolina's first year, attributed a collective sense of hubris among the players, as well as the players not paying attention to Doherty and his coaching staff for their player's demises towards the end of the season.

Doherty was afraid of coaching his second season at North Carolina. Many of Doherty's best players from his first season have been fired. The Tar Heels' average drop in school history was a result of a lack of depth and inexperienced freshmen in the back court. It was North Carolina's first losing season since 1961–62, Smith's first year. At 4–12, they lost their second straight appearance in ACC play, and six more than they had before in conference play. They finished seventh in conference play after never finishing lower than fourth (and 36 years of placing no worse than third). For the first time since 1967, the Vikings have also skipped postseason play, with 27 straight appearances in the NCAA tournament.

Adam Boone, a player recruited by Guthridge, moved away from North Carolina after Doherty's second season. Boone was the third player to leave before Doherty's third season. Boone's father was distraught with the basketball program.

Following Boone's deposition, the ACC Area Sports Journal published an article about Doherty. Sources close to the North Carolina basketball program, including former and current students, spoke with author David Glenn, who spoke anonymously. These reports were unanimous that Doherty could be a good mentor, but Doherty's approach to the players and himself needed to be changed. According to one of the sources, Doherty's coaching style wasn't helpful, and his indignation with various situations spilled over into his criticisms of players.

After the season came, Jawad Williams and Melvin Scott met with Doherty and the North Carolina coaching staff several times. They told the coaching staff that they were uncomfortable speaking to them.

The Tar Heels took the 2002 Preseason NIT for the third season in Doherty's third season, defeating Roy Williams' Kansas in the process. Their five-win streak was the best start to a season since the 1998–99 season. Sean May suffered a foot injury during a game against Iona. Several losses, including a five-game losing streak, were triggered by May's injury.

North Carolina defeated Duke for the first time since 2001 in the regular season. Doherty was involved in an altercation with Chris Collins and later became Duke assistant coach, during a game held in Chapel Hill.

The ACC Sports Journal published another piece by Glenn focusing on continuing issues between Doherty and his players shortly after the regular season ended. A parent of a player in the article did not trust Doherty, and believed that other players did not trust Doherty as well. David Noel's mother told the Star-News Noel that she did not have issues with Doherty, but that other players were having problems with Doherty.

The Tar Heels were accepted to the 2003 National Institute of Technology. They lost in the quarterfinals to Georgetown. The Tar Heels closed the season with 19 victories and a second-most program high of 16 losses. (This record has been surpassed by 17 losses from the 2009–2010 season as well as 19 losses from the 2019–20 season.)

Baddour spoke with the players and some parents after the Georgetown loss. The meetings lasted five days. Reporters were stationed outside the Smith Center for Doherty's future. Six players told Baddour that they were considering moving. Baddour had no choice but to ban Doherty from his position.

Doherty was informed on April 1 that he would not be able to return as head coach due to an irreparable divide with his players. To announce his resignation, a press conference was scheduled for the day. Doherty resigned or was fired based on the choice of resigning or being fired, he resigned. According to Doherty's decision, the basketball staff had prepared calls for a resignation or a dismissal. Though UNC basketball alumni were suspicious of Baddour's decision to give Doherty two options, Baddour convinced them that If Doherty's career prospects and financial situation were to improve if Doherty were given the opportunity to resign, they would have been much happier. At the scheduled press conference in North Carolina, his resignation was revealed. Doherty did not attend the press conference. His deal was bought out for $337,500.

In an interview with Jones Angell and Adam Lucas of the Carolina Insider podcast, Steve Kirshner, UNC Athletics' senior associate athletic director, admits to allowing the players to attend the press conference announcing Doherty's departure. Kirshner did not know the participants were wearing street clothes until just before the press conference began. In the press, Kirshner said the players' clothing was misinterpreted, sparking rumors that the players had no regard for Doherty and compelled him to resign.

UNC officials were extremely worried about the lack of a respectful environment in the program the day after it was announced. Three scholarship students had left, in large part due to this, an unusually high number for any college basketball program, particularly for one of UNC's stature. Several others were on the verge of leaving if Doherty had been allowed to stay on. According to reports, Doherty was given a year to make life more livable if he wanted to keep his position.

Doherty conducted an interview with Jay Bilas for ESPN two days after his departure. Doherty said in the interview that his resignation was mishandled. Baddour and his workers were not present at any of Doherty's meetings, according to Doherty. UNC-Chapel Hill's spokesperson denied the allegations, although Baddour's spokeswoman denied it. After his departure, Jawad Williams defended Doherty; he believed no collegiate basketball coach would have anger issues.

Doherty considered returning to Davidson to work as an assistant coach once more. Instead, he took the following year off from work and spent time with Brown, Rick Carlisle, Don Nelson, Gregg Popovich, Tom Izzo, Tom Izzo, and Tommy Amaker about their coaching methods. He attended the Wharton School of Business and penned a paper about his professional and personal life. He also attended classes at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and the Bell Leadership Institute in Chapel Hill. Doherty wrote a column for Sporting News and did color commentary for ESPN, College Sports Television, and Carolinas Sports Entertainment Television while attending business school. He also served as a scout for the New York Knicks part time.

Rashad McCants said Doherty was aware of fake classes that made McCants eligible to play at North Carolina. On his Twitter page, Doherty denied the charges.

Doherty was named head basketball coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls on April 18, 2005, taking over from Sidney Green, who was fired less than a month ago. Doherty was FAU's fifth coach and the last coach to teach when FAU was in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Hurricane Wilma wreaked havoc on FAU Arena, prompting Doherty's Owls team to enroll at Bishop Moore High School and the Champions Sport Complex in Orlando, Florida. However, the Owls' season began on time with a 74–78 loss to Colgate.

FAU's season with Doherty first aired on ESPN2 on January 30, 2006.

The Owls won their first-ever conference record (14–6) and their third season winning record in school history in Doherty's one-year at FAU (14–6).

Doherty appeared on ESPNU's The United States as a March Madness analyst while at FAU.

The athletics department at Southern Methodist University launched a look at Tubbs' replacement after Jimmy Tubbs was suspended for NCAA misconduct. The committee selected Doherty because of his recruiting skills and concern for his student athletes. Doherty was named head men's basketball coach at SMU on April 24, 2006.

Doherty gave a lecture on his time as North Carolina's coach at the Cox School of Business as a case study in corporate failure while at SMU. He also assisted in fundraising and planning for the Crum Basketball Center, a training facility for the men's and women's basketball teams. The center opened in February 2008. Doherty continued his basketball activities in a church gym before Crum Basketball Center opened.

Doherty, a basketball student, attended various fraternities and functions on SMU's campus and hosted his weekly radio show at Ten Sports Grill in Downtown Dallas, off SMU's campus, sparking excitement in the basketball program. MustangHoopsBlog.com, which was also hosted on SMU's athletics website, was also launched. Mark Cuban suggested that we start the blog.

Doherty's first year at SMU had some setbacks. Bryan Hopkins, his favorite player, was ruled out of contention. Cameron Spencer, only one of his prospects, had enough time to sign just one of his prospects. With a victory over Texas-Pan American later this season, Doherty won his first career as a coach. Doherty's first season at SMU ended with a 14-17 overall record and 11–3 non-conference record.

Doherty's fifth season with the Mustangs in 2010–11 was his most fruitful season on record. The Mustangs' 20-15 overall record was the first 20-win season since 1999–2000. The Mustangs made their first post-season appearance in over a decade, while the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament champions advanced to the semifinals. They were disqualified in the semifinals by the eventual tournament champions Santa Clara.

Doherty was suspended from SMU on March 13, 2012 after a 13-19 record set during the 2011-2012 season. He had a 79-109 record at SMU. None of his SMU teams made it to the Conference USA men's basketball tournament's first rounds. Doherty received $500,000 for the remaining year on his deal, according to The Dallas Morning News. Doherty issued a statement to the public, saying he was let go due to his SMU track.

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