New gig in NBA suits Mathis

Article published Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Monte Mathis is more of a migrant than a maverick. He goes where the work takes him.

Mathis couldn't be happier with his latest destination.

After college coaching stops at McNeese State, South Alabama, Toledo, Ohio State and Xavier, the 38-year-old Mathis has finally made it to the show.

He is in the NBA, working as the video coordinator for the Dallas Mavericks.

Mathis is more like an assistant coach than a VCR technician.

He handles player development. He scouts opponents. He rubs elbows on the team plane with Doug Christie, Keith Van Horn, Jerry Stackhouse and outspoken owner Mark Cuban.

If superstar Dirk Nowitzki has a flaw in his shot, Mathis works with him to correct the problem.

Heck, Mathis even gets the same meal allowance as the players - $102 a day - when he's on the road.

That is more money than he had in his checking account a decade ago.

"I'm really lucky to be with the Mavericks," Mathis said. "It's a great organization. There are no bad guys here, no prima donnas. Mark Cuban is a great guy. He doesn't have a bit of arrogance in him at all. He wears jeans and a T-shirt, and he welcomes people with open arms. He's great to the players and the coaching staff."

Mathis' biggest adjustment has been to the NBA's new dress code. His two suits get a steady workout.

"I have them on a rotating schedule," he joked.

Mathis gives a big assist to his father for helping him land a job in the NBA.

Mike Mathis was a long-time referee, working more than 2,000 games, 12 NBA Finals and three All-Star Games before hanging up his whistle in December of 2001.

"Dad helped me get my foot in the door," the younger Mathis said.

Monte hopes to call Dallas home for a while.

To this point, his motto has been: Have suitcase, will travel.

He played baseball and was a reserve guard on the Kansas basketball team that reached the NCAA Final Four in 1986. He transferred to Toledo, where he played baseball and basketball in 1988 and 1989.

After graduating from Toledo in 1991, he played professional baseball for three seasons in the minor leagues.

In 1994, he entered the cut-throat world of college coaching. Just 16 months ago, Mathis lost his job as an assistant coach at Ohio State after head coach Jim O'Brien admitted he gave $6,000 to a recruit who never attended the school.

The rules violation took place in 1999, one year before Mathis arrived, but the Buckeyes' program is still facing likely NCAA sanctions.

Mathis is sour about what transpired in Columbus.

"A lot of people close to me were affected," he said. "To the end, I'll always stay loyal to those people who gave me my opportunity as a coach, and I'm talking about Jim O'Brien.

"I believe he has gotten a bum rap. The reason I say that is because what he admitted to doing was a good, humanitarian act. He tried to help save a kid whose family was in trouble, and for him to be punished for it, that was absolutely wrong."

Right or wrong, Mathis has rebounded nicely. He may even be able to afford a new suit now.