Keyon Dooling was a member of the Boston Celtics for what amounts to a split-second in his 13-year NBA career. A veteran of seven different teams, Dooling played in just 46 games for the Celtics in the 2011-12 season.
But Dooling became a valued leader in Boston regardless, and the Celtics came to be extraordinarily meaningful to Dooling. Namely, because they were almost the last team he ever played for.
Dooling recounts the harrowing summer following his one season in Boston in his memoir, “What’s Driving You?” which was available to order Tuesday. In the book, Dooling and co-authors Joel and Lisa Canfield describe how the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native rediscovered repressed childhood memories and was briefly institutionalized.
It’s safe to say this isn’t your normal, cushy athlete’s autobiography.
“During his 12th NBA season, Keyon Dooling was at the top of his game as the designated team leader of the Boston Celtics, firing up his teammates with the ringing challenge, ‘What’s driving you?'” reads the introduction to the book’s press kit. “A few months later, he found himself locked up in a mental institution, confused, frightened and on the verge of losing everything.”
Dooling was a paragon of professionalism throughout his NBA tenure, which is what made his breakdown so shocking for those who spent time around him. He wasn’t defeated by the events of that fateful summer, however, as he returned to the court with the Memphis Grizzlies the following season. He has since retired to become a motivational speaker and life coach.
“What’s Driving You?” is available via the book’s website or on Amazon.
