Draft ’05: Q&A With Raymond Felton

Posted: May 27th, 2005

How do you think today's workout went?
"The workout went well. This is my second workout--I went to the Lakers yesterday--and I think I've done a great job. This is just a wonderful feeling to be out here working out and hopefully I'll get drafted."

What's it like to have "National Champion" attached to your name now?
"Its a great feeling---a dream come true. To have a National Championship on your shoulders is something that you dream about. We all talked about it since day one at Carolina, since our freshman year. Its a wonderful feeling.”

You've won championships in high school and in college. What do you think you'll have to do to keep that trend going in the NBA?
"I know the game of basketball and I love to win. Every time I step on the court I'm trying to do whatever it takes to win. I'm going to try and make my teammates better and whatever program I go to--I want to make it an even better program."

As a Tar Heel, you've played alongside pro prospects and for a Hall of Fame coach. How will your Carolina experience help you at the next level?
"Oh man.....I know the game of basketball, that's all I can say. Coach Williams helped me to use my talent and learn to "think" the game of basketball. That's what he brought to my game. I can think the game of basketball at the same pace that I play. I'm at a fast level, but I'm seeing things at a slow pace. Playing for Coach Williams at Carolina really helped improve my IQ of the game."

What influenced your decision to forego your senior season at UNC?
"What else did we have to prove? We got a National Championship and I was named point guard of the year. We had a great season. I looked at the end of the year, and everyone else was leaving. We could have contended for the championship again--we've got some great recruits coming in--but we would have been a very young team. A lot of the guys [from the championship team] were leaving, so I went along with them."

How did Coach Williams feel about that decision?
"He told me that either way, it would be a good decision for me. He said 'You have my blessing and you're going to be a top pick. If you want to leave, then I support you 100%.'"

You grew up as a football, basketball, baseball and track star, as well as a memeber of the South Carolina all-state academic team in high school. If you weren't playing hoops right now, what do you think you'd be pursuing?
"Hmmm...it probably would be still something to do with sports. I can't really say, though, as I haven't really thought about anything besides playing basketball. When I do after retire from basketball, I hope to pursue something with sports broadcasting or form a AAU team back in South Carolina. I'd like to build one of the elite AAU programs in my hometown and help kids get scholarships to go on to college. I really want to give back to my hometown and my home state."

Workout-wise, what's next for Raymond Felton?
"New York is my next workout and then I'm going to go back to Chicago to workout with Tim Grover."