Doherty gets nod from North Carolina

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 12, 2000 by Capital-Journal

Former KU assistant thanks Roy Williams during introductory news conference.

See DOHERTY, page 2-D

Doherty

Matt Doherty

... leaves Notre Dame after one season

The Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Matt Doherty received a telephone call early Tuesday morning. On the other end was Michael Jordan, telling his former North Carolina teammate and friend to follow his heart.

Doherty, a starter on North Carolina's 1982 NCAA national championship team, took Jordan's advice later in the day, leaving Notre Dame after one season to become coach of one of the more storied college programs in the country.

"Michael said you have to do what is best for your family. Then at the end of the conversation, he said, 'Who knows, if it doesn't work out with you, maybe they will have to go outside the (Carolina) family,' " Doherty said, ending a 12-day search for Bill Guthridge's replacement. "Right then, I made my mind up. I wanted to be the head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina."

Doherty said he first talked with North Carolina athletics director Dick Baddour late Thursday night, taking a cell phone call in a Wal-Mart aisle. He interviewed during the weekend on the UNC campus, and accepted the post at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

"It's a numbing experience," Doherty said. "Kind of surreal. You dream it and wonder if you're going to wake up."

Doherty, 38, was scheduled to sign a six-year contract at $350,000 a season, Baddour said, adding that additional money would be coming from a deal with Nike.

Doherty had four years remaining on a five-year deal at Notre Dame, but Baddour said there was no buyout.

Doherty became the leading candidate after last week's decision by Kansas coach Roy Williams to refuse the job at his alma mater, according to James Moeser, incoming Carolina chancellor.

Milwaukee Bucks coach George Karl and Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown, who both played for UNC under Dean Smith, took their names out of the running Monday.

Doherty, an assistant to Williams for seven years, led the Fighting Irish to a 22-15 record and a second-place finish in the NIT in his only season there.

"He is a great choice for this program because I think he maintains the same character, quality and integrity that has always marked Carolina," Moeser said. "He is the right person to keep this program No. 1 in the country."

About 75 reporters, 100 basketball supporters, Guthridge and former coach Dean Smith, and some North Carolina players attended Doherty's news conference. He received several standing ovations.

Doherty broke down and cried 10 minutes into his opening remarks when he thanked Williams.

"Someone I want to thank that some people may be a little sore at is coach Williams," Doherty said, stopping to wipe away tears. "If it wasn't for coach Williams, I wouldn't have learned the nuances of Carolina basketball. It's one thing to learn them as a player, it's another to learn them behind the scenes.

"I know a lot of people are sore he's not here, but he loves North Carolina basketball more than anyone can imagine."

Doherty brought his Notre Dame assistant coaches with him, replacing North Carolina assistants Phil Ford, Dave Hanners and Pat Sullivan.

"These are the guys that have put me in a position to be sitting before you now," Doherty said of Doug Wojcik, Fred Quartlebaum, Bob MacKinnon and David Cason.

Not every player was pleased with the coaching turnover.

"Obviously I am hurt by that," junior forward Jason Capel said. "Getting to know one new person is one thing, but having four new people is tough for anybody to handle. It's going to be a learning process. But you have to grow up and get accustomed to change."

- The Matt Doherty file

AGE --- 38.

EXPERIENCE --- Assistant at Davidson, 1989-93; assistant at Kansas, 1992-99; coach at Notre Dame, 1999-2000; North Carolina coach, 2000.

HEAD COACHING RECORD --- 22-15 in one season at Notre Dame, NIT runner-up.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE --- The 6-foot-8 forward from Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, N.Y., played under Dean Smith at North Carolina from 1980-84. Started with Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Sam Perkins and Jimmy Black on the 1982 NCAA title team. During his career, Doherty scored 1,165 points and recorded 446 assists, No. 9 on UNC's all-time list.

FAMILY --- Wife, Kelly, is from Concord, N.C.; two children.