Basketball star critically wounded
Madison High grad, a pro player in Germany, shot in Milwaukee
Lavelle Felton's hoop skills took him from Milwaukee's Madison High to college in Louisiana and then brought him a professional basketball career in Europe. That career took off last year when he helped a German team to its first ever playoff run.
Visiting his hometown during the European off-season, Felton, 29, was just days away from returning to Germany when he was shot as he drove from a gas station in the 2100 block of N. 35th St. early Wednesday. His cousin, a passenger, ran to the gas station and called for help.
A Froedtert Hospital spokeswoman said Felton was in critical condition Thursday afternoon, and Felton's grandfather, Steve Felton, said his grandson wasn't expected to survive.
On Thursday night, Lavelle Felton's stepfather, Ken McLean, said his family was told Lavelle was clinically dead.
"Everybody is traumatized," McLean said.
Skip Robinson, the Milwaukee Bucks director of player development and community relations, who worked with Felton in midnight basketball camps, called him a positive force in the community.
"He's one of the ones who made it out of there," Robinson said. "It's sad that he had to come back here and have this happen."
An American teammate of Felton's brought word of the shooting to his German team, where word spread in local papers. Police said they're still looking for a suspect.
Felton's former coach in Germany said Felton was fielding offers from different European teams for the upcoming season, and his grandfather said he was just days away from returning to Europe.
During his high school years in Milwaukee a decade ago, Felton was honored with the Jack Takerian Award, which is given to the Milwaukee high school player who best exhibits unselfish play. He was credited with the resurgence of the Milwaukee Madison team. After high school, he played a swing shooting guard/small forward position in junior college, and that's where then-Louisiana Tech coach Keith Richard recruited him.
"His skill level was so high. The ball was on a string with him," said Richard, now an assistant coach at Louisiana State. "I thought 'Wow. This kid would be a great point guard.' "
Richard drew Felton in and started him at point guard in what the coach described as the team's best year of his nine-year tenure. The team won two games in the National Invitational Tournament in 2002 before losing to Villanova.
Louisiana Tech didn't make the postseason the next year, but Felton wanted to keep playing after college.
"The thing about Lavelle is he didn't care where he played, he just wanted to play," Richard said.
Felton played for European teams in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and France before landing a starting job with the Paderborn Baskets, which plays in the highest level league of club basketball in Germany.
Former Paderborn coach Doug Spradley said Felton came off of the bench later in the season - not for lack of skill, but because he gave the team "more impulse" mid-game. Felton played as many minutes as a starter and provided veteran leadership for the team's younger players, Spradley said.
Felton hit the clutch free throws that brought Paderborn to the playoffs for the first time.
"He was a guy who wasn't afraid to step up and put the weight of the team on his shoulders," said Spradley, who has since taken a job with another German team.
Felton also is a family man who flew members of his family for visits to Germany, Spradley said. The coach said Felton was getting ready to launch the best four or five years of his career.
Robinson said Felton has the court sense and strength that probably put him just a step away from playing in the NBA.
It's a shame, Robinson said, that Felton can't share his recent success with those he grew up with in Milwaukee.
"It does nothing but tear the community up and tear his whole family up," Robinson said.
Came home in summers
McLean said his stepson came home every summer, sometimes working with him at a company in Allenton, but this summer just enjoying family and friends.
He said he was told the shooting stemmed from jealousy over his stepson's customized 1976 black, convertible Buick Centurion. McLean said the driver of another customized car pulled up to Felton's car, revved up the engine and took off. A short time later, McLean said, the driver of the other car returned, firing a gun into the air while a man who had been in that car but now was on foot crept up and shot Felton.
"They didn't take the car or try to rob him," McLean said. "It was just senseless."
Thursday, Felton's 5-year-old stepson Austin Tucker was trying to come to grips with what happened.
"He kissed his father on the forehead and cried a little bit," McLean said.
McLean's said Felton also has a 4-year-old son, Lavelle Jr., and a 2-year-old daughter, Shemere.
Of the shooters, McLean said, "They took somebody trying to do something with his life. He was a bright star, someone with a future, someone who they could only wish they could be."