Happier Dominique Sutton misses K-State, but ready to lead NCCU

Dominique Sutton, who sat out last season after transferring from Kansas State to North Carolina Central University, sounds much happier these days.

In a phone interview, one of the first the senior forward has done since switching schools, Sutton sounded upbeat, excited and was willing to share some thoughts about both his upcoming season with the Eagles and his decision to leave Frank Martin's program in Manhattan.

"It's more about loving the game of basketball for me," Sutton said. "At K-State for awhile, I was kind of depressed, but being home and being close to my loved ones, I'm more happy and happy that I came to Central."

An outside look at his career numbers would indicate a steady performer in Sutton, but those who watched regularly knew the numbers were the product of spikes and dips sometimes from game to game. It wasn't ever really known whether the All-American caliber Sutton would be on stage (like the guy "who stuck to [USC's O.J.] Mayo like a nagging cold," in the 2008 NCAA Tournament his freshman season); or who put up 14 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three assists against Baylor in a 2009 Big 12 Tournament semifinal), or the sometimes despondent player who would seemingly float through unproductive minutes before being resigned to the bench for extended periods of time.

Things didn't ever seem completely comfortable in terms of Sutton and his place within the K-State program, and he backed up that assertion.

"I just wasn't satisfied as far as my role on the team as a player. It was what it was," said Sutton, who started all but one game in his final KSU season.

Still, K-State is not just a distant memory for Sutton.

Many have noticed that his Twitter account, for a long time, has shown him wearing his K-State No. 23 uniform (he'll wear the same number at NCCU, according to the schools Web site). He recently tweeted about K-State's undefeated football team and also commented on the basketball team last year in season.

"It didn't really have anything to do with K-State or anything like that. I loved it out there," Sutton said. "To this day, I still miss it. I tweet stuff about the school, and I'm proud of what I've done out there. It was more of a business move, a business standpoint for me. Other than that, I enjoyed my time out there."

Sutton still keeps in contact with current Wildcats senior Jamar Samuels, which makes sense considering the pair were friends well before their college playing days.

"Jamar Samuels, that's my guy," Sutton said. "We went to high school together. We played AAU ball together, so I stay in contact with him and reach out to him every once in awhile. But, I know we both are busy and both have big plans for our teams. 

"It should be Jamar's team this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he's going to do, and I know a lot of people are looking forward to what I'm going to do this year."

He said the two spoke over the summer on occasion, but basketball wasn't one of the topics discussed.

As far as this season goes, Sutton, who spent part of his summer working with NBA players including Raymond Felton, Chris Wilcox and Rasheed Wallace on the North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus, said while his job is to be a leader, he also wants to showcase his entire game - something that didn't happen at K-State.

"It's a lot different, just being more of a leader and helping the guys to be more winners," Sutton said. "A lot of the guys aren't used to winning, so I'm just here to become a better player, make my teammates around me better players and win games.

"Right now, it's [the] three, four, five. Whatever it takes to help the team win. That hasn't really changed. It's the same attitude I had at K-State. Whatever the coach wanted me to do then, I would do it to try to help us win."

The Eagles are scheduled to play several name schools including Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Oregon and Indiana. When the team does play, Sutton said he'll play those games, along with the others, with a chip because he feels he still hasn't earned much in the way of respect - the latest evidence for him coming in that he wasn't listed on any MEAC preseason teams.*

"It's been like that throughout my whole college career," Sutton said. "Around the country, everybody knew I was a great defender, but was never mentioned or anything in the Big 12 - never got Big 12 defensive player of the year, never was on Big 12 first or second team all defense.

"It is what it is.  At the end of the day, it's about winning, and that's what I'm going to do, whatever it takes to help my team win. But, I'm going after everything. I feel like, as of right now, I need every accolade there is. I need player of the year, defensive player of the year, all first-team MEAC. I'm going for everything.

"As long as we're winning games, I'm continuing to play good and my teammates continue to play good, the sky is the limit."

*Full disclosure, MEAC rules state a player must have played at least 75 percent of a team's games the year prior. Still, a guy has to get his motivation somehow, right?

Finally, at the annual talent-stuffed North Carolina Pro-Am in Durham, known as "The Rucker of the South", video (like the ones above) exploded with different clips of Sutton dunking on Duke's Plumlee brothers and another with him battling highly-touted incoming Blue Devils freshman guard Austin Rivers.

Sutton's performances drew attention.

"I was a little hungry, I'm playing with a chip on my shoulder this year," Sutton said. "I wanted to get a chance to showcase my talent. Being at K-State, a lot of people really hadn't seen the true me in a long, long time, so I wanted to go out there and compete, and win. I've always been a winner at every level." 

And how did his team do against Rivers in that specific game?

"We ended up winning, my team," Sutton said. "We won by 40."

Side note: Sutton will be joined this season by former Oklahoma wing Ray Willis, who is also eligible to play for NCCU after transferring.