Watch Kyle Dodd for five minutes during an ASU men's basketball practice, and it's obvious he already misses diving for balls and taking charges - the trademarks of his playing days from 1999 to 2002.
Instead of wearing the practice jersey and shorts the 6-foot guard spent four seasons getting comfortable with, Dodd now has a new role with the program as an undergraduate assistant coach.
"It's been different - really different. You kind of get to see the other side of things," Dodd said. "It's kind of hard at times to realize that I'm not playing this year."
Dodd's formal introduction with the media last week at Wells Fargo Arena saw the former point guard uncomfortable as ever on a court where he played against some of the best teams in the country. Wearing a gray suit, Dodd had a glint in his eye - as if he could take off the tie and be with his former teammates in the team picture.
"At first I was kind of nervous of people trying to take advantage [of me] since they knew I was around," Dodd said. "I've basically been a part of the team. I'm just not playing."
During practices, sometimes the basketball player inside of Dodd comes out. Between drills, he'll steal the ball away from an unsuspecting freshman and hit a little float shot or a lay-up. On certain drills when an extra body is required, Dodd will jump in and take over his old role of point guard.
"I think he's going to be an excellent young coach," ASU head coach Rob Evans said. "I'm glad we got him because he can explain some things to these guys that maybe some of the rest of us can't.
"They believe him," Evans added. "But I think the biggest thing that I like about him is that he's pretty vocal, even in our staff meetings.
"If he sees something he feels like we need to be doing that's a concern, he steps up to the plate and says something. Kyle's trying to do whatever he can to try to make this program better."
Dodd could have elected to take the path of two of his former teammates, Tommy Smith and Curtis Millage. Smith recently was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bulls but is playing now for Split, a professional team in Croatia. Millage went undrafted and signed with a professional team in Frankfurt, Germany.
The main role for Dodd, who is scheduled to graduate in December with a sociology degree, will be to train his replacements, junior Jason Braxton and redshirt freshman Kevin Kruger.
Dodd's experience running the offense is unquestioned. He played more minutes than any other Sun Devil during his four-year career and led the Pac-10 in assist-to-turnover ration (4.72) during his senior campaign last year.
Early on during practice, Dodd speaks to Braxton and Kruger separately about the fundamentals of running the point. Dodd also is working with Braxton to become a more vocal presence on the court and take over the job as team leader.
"He's taught me a lot about leadership and poise and just playing hard all the time," Braxton said. "I'm glad Coach [Evans] kept him for another year to keep working with me and teach me how to take charge like him."
Dodd hopes his job as an assistant (and graduate assistant when he graduates in December) someday will lead to other jobs in coaching and hopefully his dream of coaching somewhere close to his home of Brea, Calif.
"I want to jump right in at the college level," Dodd said. "Maybe a couple of years down the road I'll be able to slide in somewhere. Just somewhere I would have a chance to coach and help kids would be fine."
Reach the reporter at jeffrey.hoodzow@asu.edu.
