James Felton

Felton was the oldest of two sons and raised by his mother, Cheryll, in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father, Edwin Jeffers, lived in South Carolina. He transferred to Marist High School which caused Dickinson head coach Bill "Red" Drennan to unsuccessfully protest to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association that Felton was recruited by Marist. In the week-ending all-star game, Felton chased down a then-unknown Tracy McGrady who had an open run to the hoop. Fellow camp attendee Lamar Odom called the dunk "one of the best basketball moments of [his] life" and claimed that he had "never seen anyone do something like that, not even in the NBA." He was recruited by the reigning national champion Kentucky Wildcats; ==College career==

St. John's Red Storm (1997) At one of Felton's first preseason practices with the St. John's Red Storm, 12 scouts from the National Basketball Association (NBA) were in attendance; head coach Fran Fraschilla said that Felton was the only player scouts asked about. He would have joined the team as a walk-on and was promised a scholarship by head coach Steve Robinson if he met university academic requirements. Felton felt homesick and rarely attended class. On April 21, Felton left the Florida State campus without appearing in a game for the Seminoles. He enrolled at Saint Peter's College (now Saint Peter's University) in January 1999 but was dismissed in August because of his poor academic standing. Saint Peter's head coach Rodger Blind had wanted Felton to seek counseling for his alcohol abuse but "he didn't fulfill that responsibility." He joined the team as a sophomore academically but had only two years of eligibility because of the NCAA's "five-year clock" which began in 1997. He played in the final seven games of the season and averaged 13.2 points per game. He scored a career-high 41 points against the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds in the final game of his collegiate career. ==Professional career==

One month after his college career ended, Felton was invited by Joe Bryant to a basketball bootcamp. He performed in conditioning drills and was taught fundamentals including post moves with Adrian Dantley. Bryant landed Felton a successful tryout with the Harlem Globetrotters but he struggled with intoxication and was convinced by the Globetrotters to attend rehab. He returned one month later but was out of shape and released within weeks. Felton played for three years in the American Basketball Association (ABA). Bryant helped Felton to receive a tryout with the Denver Nuggets in 2003. Felton's playing career ended in 2005. ==Personal life==

Felton married his high school sweetheart, Rana Brookins-Felton, in 1999 and they had three children. He was aged 26. Felton's cause of death was listed as natural causes. Police claimed that Felton did not always take the five medications he had been prescribed for his medical conditions and drank excessive amounts of alcohol. ==References==