Goran Suton
Encyclopedia
Goran Suton is a Bosnian-born American basketball
player who completed his college
career with the Michigan State
Spartans
in 2009
. He has played with the Russian Super League
team Spartak St. Petersburg and Italian team Angelico Biella, but now plays for the Cibona Zagreb in Croatia
.
in then-Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
, SFR Yugoslavia
, to Croatian
father Miroslav and Serbian
mother Živana, who both grew up in Bosnia. He played for the Bosnian U14 side before his family moved to the US
, where he attended Everett High School
in Lansing, Michigan
, United States
. There he led the Everett Vikings to a Class A boys basketball title in 2004 as a senior
.
season at Michigan State
, when he notoriously missed a last-second layup
in a hotly contested game against Gonzaga
in the Maui Invitational. Suton developed into a key player for the Spartans during his career, earning second team All-Big Ten marks during his senior season.
Suton helped the Spartans to two NCAA Final Fours, first during his redshirt
freshman year in 2005
and then as a senior in 2009
. He was especially effective during the 2009 final four run, holding USC star Taj Gibson
to three points, and hitting a string of jump shot
s against Louisville
en route to 19 points. Suton was named Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest regional in 2009. Suton was named to the first team all tournament.
in the 2009 NBA Draft
. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan
cut Suton during the preseason on October 21, 2009. Suton signed a contract with Spartak St. Petersburg of the Russian Basketball Super League
on November 2, 2009. For the 2010-2011 season he will play with Angelico Biella of Italy. In July 2011 he signed with Cibona Zagreb.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who completed his college
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
career with the Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
in 2009
2008–09 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represented Michigan State University in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Tom Izzo who was in his 14th year. The team played their home games at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI...
. He has played with the Russian Super League
Russian Basketball Super League
The Russian Basketball SuperLeague is a men's professional basketball league that was the pre-eminent league of Russian professional basketball until 2010...
team Spartak St. Petersburg and Italian team Angelico Biella, but now plays for the Cibona Zagreb in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
Early years
Suton was born on the outskirts of SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
in then-Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina , known until 1963 under the name of People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
, SFR Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, to Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
father Miroslav and Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
mother Živana, who both grew up in Bosnia. He played for the Bosnian U14 side before his family moved to the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he attended Everett High School
Everett High School (Michigan)
Everett High School is a public high school located on the south side of Lansing, Michigan. It is currently the music and performing arts magnet school for the Lansing School District....
in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There he led the Everett Vikings to a Class A boys basketball title in 2004 as a senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
.
College career
Suton first rose to notability during his freshmanFreshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
season at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
, when he notoriously missed a last-second layup
Layup
A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping from below, laying the ball up near the basket, and using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in...
in a hotly contested game against Gonzaga
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the athletic teams at Gonzaga University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Gonzaga University is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
in the Maui Invitational. Suton developed into a key player for the Spartans during his career, earning second team All-Big Ten marks during his senior season.
Suton helped the Spartans to two NCAA Final Fours, first during his redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman year in 2005
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
and then as a senior in 2009
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
. He was especially effective during the 2009 final four run, holding USC star Taj Gibson
Taj Gibson
Taj Jami Gibson is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Following the 2010 signing of Carlos Boozer, he has played as the second string power forward...
to three points, and hitting a string of jump shot
Jump shot
In basketball , a jump shot is an attempt to score a basket by jumping, usually straight up, and in mid-jump, propelling the ball in an arc into the basket. It is accomplished by the player bringing his or her elbow up until it is aligned with the hoop, then sent towards the hoop in a high arc. It...
s against Louisville
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
en route to 19 points. Suton was named Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest regional in 2009. Suton was named to the first team all tournament.
Professional career
Suton was chosen 50th overall by the Utah JazzUtah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
cut Suton during the preseason on October 21, 2009. Suton signed a contract with Spartak St. Petersburg of the Russian Basketball Super League
Russian Basketball Super League
The Russian Basketball SuperLeague is a men's professional basketball league that was the pre-eminent league of Russian professional basketball until 2010...
on November 2, 2009. For the 2010-2011 season he will play with Angelico Biella of Italy. In July 2011 he signed with Cibona Zagreb.