Jalek Felton’s basketball career at North Carolina is officially over. The freshman guard, who has been suspended since Jan. 30, has withdrawn from school and received his release, his lawyer said Thursday.
Attorney Kerry Sutton said Felton plans to transfer to another school.
Neither Sutton nor UNC have disclosed the reason for Felton’s suspension and subsequent withdrawal. Sutton’s specialty is working with athletes in Title IX matters and cases of sexual assault. Among her previous clients are UNC football player Allen Artis and several members of the wrongly accused Duke lacrosse team.
In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, the Durham-based lawyer expressed disappointment in the way UNC has handled Felton’s case.
“There is nothing we’ve heard that justifies UNC’s actions against Jalek Felton,” Sutton said in the statement. “He had faith in UNC’s future when no other five-star recruit did. UNC has turned its back on him.
“I spoke with (coach) Roy Williams today and he obviously feels the pain of Jalek’s crushed dream to play at UNC. Jalek will land on his feet, but our battle here is far from over.”
A 6-foot-3 point guard from West Columbia, S.C., Felton has played in all 22 games before his suspension for the Tar Heels this season.
The five-star recruit is the nephew of former Tar Heel and NBA star Raymond Felton. He was averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 assists while shooting 38.7 percent from the floor in just under 10 minutes of action per game. His best performance came on Dec. 6, when he hit for 15 points and five assists in a win against Western Carolina.
In a social media post by Sutton announcing Felton’s withdrawal on Twitter, Felton said that “Playing at UNC was a life-long dream come true. It’s time for a new dream.”
