Rebound: From Pain to Passion

Rebound: From Pain to Passion - Leadership Lessons Learned

Coach Matt Doherty has faced challenges, adversity, and betrayal on the court and off. This book takes you on his journey, allowing you to see true leadership in action. Each chapter is filled with the highs and the lows of a life focused on achieving his dreams. From his first “sale” in convincing his parents that a summer job would not serve him nearly as well as a summer at a basketball camp to the lows of finding out who your true friends are, Coach Doherty walks you through it with brutal honesty and vulnerability.

Throughout the book, Coach Doherty will share that there is no easy road to leadership. It is a long and winding road with many unexpected plot twists, both good and bad. But at the end of it, you will find a leader that in his suffering, is still dedicated enough to figure out the tough answers and share them with his followers.

“When Matt Doherty became the head coach at the University of Notre Dame, he gave me a chance to leave an impression. He challenged me. He pushed me. His passion inspired me. His drive and energy made me want to run through walls for him and my team. That is what leadership is all about to me.”
-       Jimmy Dillon, 2000 captain of Notre Dame basketball team and current Director of Hoops 24-7 (Phil. PA)

Editorial Reviews

“I have known Matt Doherty well since we played against each other in college. Matt was a fantastic player, an outstanding coach, a fierce competitor, and he has always been a person of integrity. When he faced adversity, he fought, overcame, persevered, and grew to be the thoughtful leader he is today. Matt is everything you could ask for in a friend and leader."

~ JAY BILAS, ESPN


“I’ve known Matt since he was a senior in high school in Long Island. I helped recruit him and helped coach him at North Carolina, and he was on my coaching staff at Kansas for seven successful seasons. He’s always been a very intelligent person, player and coach, and the many experiences he shares in REBOUND, including how to deal with both successes and adversity, will help anyone in a leadership position.”

~ ROY WILLIAMS, Head Coach, University of North Carolina


“I’ve always been a big believer in everything Matt touches. Shortly after playing a key role on UNC’s 1982 National Championship team, he worked for us at CBS as a stage manager on our college basketball broadcasts. He is pure class. And he understands the ebb and flow of a life well lived.”

~ JIM NANTZ, CBS Sports Commentator


"Highly recommend Matt Doherty’s new book as he has tasted victory as both a player and coach, but he has also dealt with being on the top in coaching to falling off the coaching tree. He has rebounded in the 'Game of Life' by utilizing all the skills that were vital in formulating his career. You will learn so much from Matt’s views on dealing with your mental attitude. Yes, the book is Awesome Baby!

~ DICK VITALE, ESPN Analyst Hall of Fame 2008


“Matt Doherty knows about rebounding on the court and in life. His journey and experiences are inspiring.”

~ CHARLES BARKLEY


"Powerful. Inspirational. Real. Matt Doherty chose to turn his 'Pain into Passion" and now he infuses wisdom, insight and practical advice from lessons learned to benefit all of us. A fascinating look inside the life of an extraordinary man. It’s a must-read!"

––JON GORDON, best-selling author of The Power of Positive Leadership


"Matt's leadership and understanding of sport has also connected him with friends and family to help mentor and guide them through the worst and best of times.. He truly understands every member of the team which enables those around him to achieve greatness ."

~ KENNY SMITH, NBA Champion and TNT NBA Studio Analyst


"A riveting read. This book is incredibly empowering. Matt Doherty draws from his own life journey to teach and instill in others the confidence to trust in ourselves––even when life hits a bump in the road."

~ KEVIN PRITCHARD, President, Basketball Operations, Indiana Pacers


"To be sure, this book is honest, real, and gracefully told. Matt’s story is a rousing read for all who aspire to succeed."

~ KEVIN M. WHITE, Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke University


“In basketball, a championship team needs a great rebounder. A rebounder is defined as a player who retrieves the ball and gains possession after a missed shot. Matt Doherty retrieved the ball and gained possession of his life. In the battle of life, Matt is someone you would want in your foxhole. His life story clearly tells you why.”

~ BOB MCKILLOP, Head Coach, Davidson College Basketball, Atlantic 10 Conference


"Matt Doherty’s helps take us from here to there, from setback to comeback. Few of us find we are on a linear roadmap to the top, and we can learn much from the revival of others to get back on track if momentarily derailed. Rebound is a compelling account for doing so, wonderfully brought to life by Matt’s own fall and personal renewal."

~ MICHAEL USEEM, Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Leadership Moment and co-author of Mastering Catastrophic Risk


“Rebound walks us through one persons successes and challenges in life as a basketball player and coach. A compelling reading but that's not the point––Matt Doherty shares his personal journey to teach others the valuable lessons learned from his successes and failures. I could not put the book down!”

~ MITCH KUPCHACK, President of Basketball Operations & General Manager, Charlotte Hornets


“Life is full of challenges and opportunities. Matt provides insight into both by sharing his personal accounts of his successes and his failures. We all experience events that change our lives, and his thoughts about the lessons he has learned are valuable.”

~ BUBBA CUNNINGHAM, Director of Athletics, The University of North Carolina


"As someone who has also experienced life’s highs and lows, I found Matt’s reflections upon his own journey to be most valuable. In chapter after chapter this good man uses his life’s experiences ranging from the highs of winning a National Championship to the lows of losing his job to teach others how to overcome and persevere and become a better, stronger leader. I highly recommend reading Rebound: From Pain to Passion, Leadership Lessons Learned."

~ ERSKINE BOWLES, Former White House Chief of Staff


"The people with whom Matt has played, coached and worked as a player, coach and administrator, and his love for the game, have given him a unique perspective into what it means to be a leader."

~ DAN GAVITT, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball


"If you are a fan of basketball and a fan of life, you will become of fan of Matt Doherty when you read Rebound From Pain to Passion, Leadership Lessons Learned. Luckily for me, I have been a friend AND fan of Matt Doherty for a very long time. This book will inspire and make you think because the stories and leadership lessons are fabulous.”

~ FRAN FRASCHILLA, ESPN


"Throughout REBOUND Coach Doherty shows us many great lessons on how to lead. One underlying yet important lesson is that the distance from being an individual talent to becoming an effective leader is long, but can be traveled by diligent desire, learning, and practice."

~ DR. GERALD BELL, Bell Leadership Institute


"Mister Cool! #44––Matt and I came in together as freshman––introduced to each other and never looked back! Excited to have another New Yorker along with Jimmy Black. With the style of play you had to be clever with the ball, especially playin‘ in the ACC. Matt was a savvy and efficient passer; sort of a perfectionist. His assists were on point. I see why coach Smith recruited him. It made our team more diverse at guard with his play and ability to read defenses. He definitely was a student of the game. Wouldn’t define him as a role player, but without him we wouldn’t have been as successful."

~ SAM PERKINS


"Matt was not only an awesome teammate and brother, but he will always be my brother for life. He has always been very well read, and thoroughly researches anything he is working on. As a player he was always prepared which showed on many levels. The same can be said and applied to his leadership book."

~JIMMY BLACK


“I’ve known Matt for many years. Matt has a unique and authoritative toughness and discipline about him. He never makes excuses and always looks for solutions. In fact, if I where a GM in the NBA looking for a gifted leader and Coach, Matt would be my first choice."

~ BRAD DAUGHERTY, 5 time NBA All-STAR , College Basketball All American, ESPN and NBC Sports Analyst


“Matt Doherty has shared his inspiring personal leadership journey and offers all readers insights into surmounting setbacks and leading with vision, courage and passion. His is an engaging story and must read for those who are committed to using their influence to help others achieve success and realize their potential.”

~ CAROL C. WEBER, Visiting Professor Emeritus, Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia


“I was extremely fortunate to play for Matt at Kansas University and then work for him as an Assistant Coach. Matt is a unique combination of competitiveness, organization, compassion, evaluation (self and player), creative thinking and adaptability that had a tremendous impact on me as a player and future head coach. There is a presence, personality but most importantly a growth mindset that makes him a great leader that will brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that he can share. I don’t know where I would be in my basketball journey if I hadn’t had the opportunity to learn from him. There is no doubt you will enjoy and learn from all that he has in this book.”

~ REX WALTERS, Kansas All-American, Former college coach, NBA Coach


“Coach Doherty taught me that being a Leader isn’t an EndState, but a journey. Post-UNC, he seriously studied and invested in growing as a leader, and I was a huge beneficiary.”

~ JON KILLEN, Former SMU Captain, SMU Mustangs Men’s Basketball Team


"I was extremely fortunate to play for Matt at Kansas University and then work for him as an Assistant Coach. Matt is a unique combination of competitiveness, organization, compassion, evaluation (self and player), creative thinking and adaptability that had a tremendous impact on me as a player and future head coach. There is a presence, personality but most importantly a growth mindset that makes him a great leader that will brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that he can share. I don’t know where I would be in my basketball journey if I hadn’t had the opportunity to learn from him. There is no doubt you will enjoy and learn from all that he has in this book."

~ REX WALTERS, Kansas All-American, Former college coach, NBA Coach


“What you read here is the true and authentic Matt Doherty. He is as you will read, a deeply reflective, always striving to be a better man, father, husband and coach. In REBOUND he does us the honor of sharing his story that includes great highs and unimaginable lows. REBOUND tells the seventeen year story of a man who has been in the epicenter of Final Four basketball, booted out, and who through the hard work of self-awareness, found his way back to his own grounded joy of the game. The best leaders are those who suffered and cared enough to figure out what there was to learn. Matt Doherty is a learner through and through -- and a great note taker which is why this book is a riveting read and a practical guide for any leader starting a new position.”

~ FRANCES JOHNSTON, Ph.D., world-renowned scholar-practitioner, Founder, Teleos Leaders, and co-author of the Harvard Business Press book, Becoming a Resonant Leader


“I have known Matt for more than 20 years and the most impressive thing about him is his thirst to improve. He always wants to get better every day. While it is a great talking point that he won a National Championship in 1982 and was the 2001 NCAA Coach of the Year, what is more important is how he has continued to learn and better himself. We had Matt speak to our partners (more than 200 people attended) and he got rave reviews from the presentation. It is not often that you have the opportunity to hear from someone who has achieved success, but is willing to, and more importantly, openly discuss their failures. The opportunity for our partners and my employees to hear his thoughts about leadership in ways that reflected both successes and failures is what makes the talk real and authentic, and is why it was so impactful.”

~ MALCOLM K. FARMER, President & General Manager, Texas Legends


“What defines you in life is not when things are going well but how you handle your life in the face of adversity defines your character, strength and who you truly are. “

~ RAYMOND FELTON, Former UNC star and current NBA player


“Coach Doherty recruited me out of Indiana, I trusted him and his staff with my future. To this day I don’t regret that decision. Although things didn’t work out at UNC for Coach Doherty, he and staff always tried to help us reach our dreams and goals, and for that I will always respect him.”

~ SEAN MAY, Former UNC star and current UNC Assistant Coach


“In the game of basketball there are times when the ball bounces your way and then there are times when it doesn’t. The same can be said about life. I’ve known Matt Doherty for over 20 years and in his new book ‘Rebound from Pain to Passion,’ Matt does a great job sharing his unique story and detailing the ‘bounces’ that he’s had in life. We can all learn from his experiences, which can help us to handle the bounces we will face in our lives.”

~ RYAN HUMPHREY, Former Notre Dame star and current Notre Dame assistant


“Coach Matt Doherty challenged me everyday as player and young man at the University of Notre Dame. He instilled a toughness and belief in me that carried me through 10 years as an NBA player. Coach D has been a coach, mentor and friend that has taught me so much through his own successes and failures. He shares these valuable life lessons in REBOUND!

~ MATT CARROLL, Former Notre Dame star and NBA player


“When Matt Doherty became the head coach at the University of Notre Dame, he gave me a chance to leave an impression. He challenged me. He pushed me. His passion inspired me. His drive and energy made me want to run through walls for him and my team. That is what leadership is all about to me.”

~ JIMMY DILLON, 2000 captain of the Notre Dame basketball team and current Director of Hoops 24-7 (Phil. PA)

Click on the Buttons Below to Share this Page

For Speaking Inquiries, Please Contact heyRED Speakers Agency
Teresa Gitomer
704-904-2522 | [email protected]

Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved
Doherty Coaching LLC