Jalek Felton hopes the long road will still lead to his goal of playing in the NBA.
The former Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 for Gray Collegiate Academy signed with North Carolina, but his career didn't last half a season. Due to what he calls "bad choices", Felton was suspended from the basketball team and the university in January of 2018. He eventually withdrew from school altogether in March.
After considering going to another school, Felton decided his best route to the NBA would be to keep playing so that meant going overseas to play professionally in Finland and Slovania. Felton says that experience did more for him than keep his game sharp.
“It taught me a lot,” said Felton.
“With almost losing basketball to here is unbelievable. It just made me grow up fast, and realize how quickly something can be taken away from you. I appreciate the game a little more now. A lot more now.”
Felton is the nephew of former UNC and Charlotte Bobcats guard Raymond Felton. He worked out for the Charlotte Hornets Tuesday and hopes he is doing enough to get at least one NBA team to take him in next month's NBA Draft.