UNC: freshman guard Jalek Felton suspended from school

By AP
Published

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina says freshman guard Jalek Felton has been suspended from school.

The school issued a news release Tuesday, saying the suspension means he is ''not currently eligible to participate'' in any university activities. It didn't release further details citing federal privacy laws, including the reason for the suspension and its duration.

Felton isn't facing criminal charges and doesn't have a pending case listed in an online search of state court records, but he is being represented by two attorneys.

One of the attorneys, Kerry Sutton of Durham, described the suspension to The Associated Press as being on an ''interim'' basis while the school seeks additional information instead of serving as a punishment. She declined to discuss case specifics.

''Jalek Felton is an extraordinary young man and an exemplary student athlete at UNC,'' Sutton said in a statement. ''The support he's getting from UNC fans and friends today means the world to him. We will get him back in class and back on the court where he belongs as soon as we can.''

The 6-foot-3 Felton has played in all 22 games as a reserve point guard, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 assists. But he's averaged just 6 minutes per game in Atlantic Coast Conference play even with fellow reserve Seventh Woods sidelined since December by injury.

Felton, the nephew of former UNC point guard Raymond Felton, was UNC's top recruit for this year's freshman class.

The 19th-ranked Tar Heels visit No. 20 Clemson on Tuesday night.

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