Daily Vanguard: Why did you come to Portland State?
Dominic Waters: It’s my hometown team. I played high school ball here and grew up here. Portland State seemed to be building a winning tradition, and I wanted to be a part of that. It was the right choice for me.
DV: What was your best moment on the court?
DW: It would definitely have to be the game-winning assist I gave to Julius Thomas last year to send us into the NCAA Tournament.
DV: If you could change one rule in basketball, what would it be?
DW: I don’t know what rule I would change, but I wouldn’t mind if the referees had better vision.
DV: What’s your greatest strength?
DW: I think my greatest strength is my heart. I’m a generous person.
DV: Which is your favorite place to eat around campus?
DW: Pita Pit. I like the steak pita, no onions.
DV: What is your favorite thing to do around Portland?
DW: I still hang around with a lot of my high school friends, so I just like to be around them and my family.
DV: What is the first item that you would buy if you won the lottery?
DW: If I won the lottery, I would get a red Range Rover. It’s definitely not a standard color, I know, but I saw one once and I really liked it.
DV: What was your most embarrassing moment on the court?
DW: I was playing basketball during recess in middle school with some friends. It was raining, so the whole school came inside where we were playing. I was going in for a fast break, slipped on my sweatpants and fell in front of everyone. It wasn’t a game that counted, but it was still embarrassing.
DV: Do you have any hidden talents?
DW: I don’t know that I have any hidden talents but I love video games. I especially love to play NBA 2K10—I dominate that game.
DV: Do you have any nicknames?
DW: The only one I have is Domie, short for Dominic. Julius called me that one day and it just stuck.
DV: What is the last thing you cooked?
DW: I cooked fried chicken on Valentine’s Day. It was only my second time and it was very good.
DV: If you could attend one concert or sporting event anywhere, what would it be?
DW: It would definitely be Jay-Z. I missed his concert in Seattle, but his New York show would have been amazing to see too. I really like his new album but I like all of his stuff.
DV: What has been your favorite class at Portland State?
DW: Hood Films with Dr. Milner—it gave me a different perspective on how to view movies. I can watch for things in a movie now that the director meant for you to see that you normally wouldn’t catch. He was great.
DV: What is on your iPod right now?
DW: I have it on shuffle, but the last thing I listened to was something by 50 Cent.
DV: If you could have dinner with three people from history, who would they be?
DW: I would pick Jesus Christ, Michael Jordan and Jay-Z.
DV: Do you read the Vanguard, and if so, how often?
DW: Yes I do. I probably read it about every other week.
DV: If you couldn’t play basketball, what would you do?
DW: I would like to coach basketball.
*This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.