When he wore the Brown and White as a member of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team, Chris Matthews, ’10, rained threes in the Reilly Center.
Today, he’s known worldwide to millions as “Lethal Shooter.”
He’s one of the world’s most in-demand shooting coaches, working with numerous NBA and WNBA athletes to perfect their shot. He’s also worked with a long list of celebrities, frequently featured on his social media accounts.
Followed by more than two million fans on Instagram, Matthews has found stardom through features by ESPN, Jordan Brand, Sports Illustrated, an appearance in a Mountain Dew commercial, and showing off his form in NBA2K with game creators showcasing his shot. He even has a cameo in the Netflix movie, “Hustle.” His work as a shooting coach has earned him respect from all corners of the basketball globe and the biggest names in the basketball and entertainment worlds.
Now, some of those stars will be wearing a set of Lethal Shooter Air Jordans. Matthews made history in June with the announcement of his Air Jordan 36 Low player edition. He’s the first trainer to have a PE assigned to him by Jordan Brand.
The shoe features a black and gold design that was made to be worn both on and off the court. His favorite feature, though, might be the insole which bears his “Stay Locked In” logo in concrete with flowers printed on the tongue.
“The flower represents making it out of the toughness of Washington, D.C.,” he says. “I grew up in D.C., born and raised, so to have a shoe that represents my city and someone who didn’t give up is a blessing.
“I wanted to be the first trainer ever with a shoe. I want to break barriers, but to do that takes a lot of hard work and believing in yourself. If you’re a part of something where you feel like concrete is keeping you down, if you keep working hard, that rose is going to come through the concrete.”
A McDonald’s All-America nominee in his native D.C., he started his collegiate career at Washington State before transferring back to the East Coast with the Bonnies. He was one of the first key building blocks in turning around Bonaventure’s program under head coach Mark Schmidt, immediately making his mark by draining 81 three-pointers in his first SBU season of 2008-09.
Matthews graduated as the program’s single-season 3-point record holder, drilling 101 treys as a senior. In just 61 games of action, he ranks seventh all-time in career Bonnies threes (182). He was also instrumental in creating a culture of winning. Bona teammates who were underclassmen his senior season would go on to capture the A-10 championship just two years later.
“Coming to St. Bonaventure is one of the things that helped me in life because it was so welcoming,” Matthews said. “It was a place that felt like home. There were times I had down moments, but I was able to speak to people who helped me there. Bona’s really played a huge role in my life to where I am today.”
For now, Matthews’ sneakers will remain a limited edition for family and friends and potentially be up for retail sale next year. In the meantime, stars such as Drake, Future and 2 Chainz will be wearing the shoes this year.
Read a longer version of this story at gobonnies.com.
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