2012 PG Javan Felix of New Orleans St. Augustine's, shown below suited up with the New Orleans D-1 Ambassadors Elite.
As the D-1 nation continues to grow, it does so with excellent mentors to young men and women, but most importantly it grows with quality basketball players who are great young people. One of those mentors is Coach Greg Holmes, and one of the players is 2012 PG Javan Felix, the latest lead guard product out of the New Orleans area which has college coaches buzzing from coast to coast. 
Contributing on the varsity as a freshman is no small feat anywhere but at a school as tradition rich as St. Augustine it's particularly impressive. They hold a mythical National Championship, and in fact Javan's Pops, Rodd was the two guard on those impressive squads back in the 80's playing alongside a cat named Avery Johnson who is a household name here in the City of San Antonio from his NBA days.
Young Felix has been on the AAU scene since he's been 8 years old and has laced them up and battled against the great 2012 Texas D-1 Ambassadors teams which featured J. Mychal Reese, L.J. Rose, Winston Sheppard, Rashad Sulaimon and Company. At the time Felix was a member of the New Orleans Panthers. Now that Coach Greg Holmes (who has trained and coached Felix since he was 8 years old) has come on board with the D-1 Ambassadors we are more than happy to have Javan as part of our organization.
How impressive has Felix been on the circuit this spring? He led his team to the prestigious Battle of the South Tornament in Jackson, MS. No easy task.
Coach Greg Holmes, who knows him as well as anybody describes him this way:
"Javan can score, but he's a pass first kind of player who looks to get his team mates involved. He has great upper body strength (at a stout 5'10", 180lbs) and can finish at the rim against anybody, when he chooses to penetrate. He has a deceptively quick and fundamental first step. His game is patterned after Utah Jazz G Deron Williams ( from The Colony, TX) who he draws favorable comparisons to at the same age." (Some folks also compare him to another N'awlins product in PG D.J. Augustin)-Coach Greg Holmes
June 15th was the first day of the contact period which will lead up to the July "NCAA live" viewing period. The Kansas Jayhawks were on top of things as they made contact with Felix at 12:01 AM on the buzzer. Felix has a multitude of suitors. And why not, because in addition to his considerable skills he's humble and takes all honors courses at St. Augustine. When I was there in March at the 1st round of the NCAA tournament which was held in New Orleans I dropped by practice. After watching the kids get after it in the steamy, inner city gym in the shadows of the Superdome Felix quickly exited practice and got himself smartly dressed in slacks, shirt and tie to head off to work. A really nice kid who is focused!
There's a long way to go before he signs a NLOI to the school of his choice but right now according to Coach Holmes the early favorites are Florida, LSU, Baylor, Wake Forest, Kansas & Alabama. Washington, Oklahoma State, UTEP, Tulane, TCU, New Mexico State, Oregon State, Memphis, and Rice are some of the others who have expressed early interest.
During the Live period, the New Orleans D-1 Ambassadors will head to the East Coast to play in Jeff Schneider's Atlantic Slam I & II in front of packed houses of coaches July 8-11th. From July 22-25th, they'll take their high flying act out West to Pangos Camp operator Dinos Trigonis' Fab 48 Event where they'll be super pooled in the marquee' event held this year in Las Vegas. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for additional profiles of our Louisiana, Mississippi & Texas kids.
