LeVelle Moton grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, in one of the city’s most notorious housing projects. Despite the challenges within his zip code, LeVelle’s hard work and perseverance have made him a beloved coach, influential community leader, and inspiration to aspiring athletes.
While attending Enloe High School, LeVelle was named Wake County Player of the Year and CAP 5 Player of the Year, when he led his basketball team to victory in three conference tournaments. He became North Carolina Central University’s third all-time leading scorer with 1,714 points and was voted CIAA Player of the Year and NCAA All-American Mention before earning his bachelor’s degree in 1996. His historic career earned him the nickname “Poetry ‘n Moton.”
After playing four years of professional basketball overseas, LeVelle started his basketball coaching career as head coach at West Millbrook Middle School, where he led the Wildcats to two championships and a 49-6 record. In 2004, he took on the struggling basketball program at Sanderson High School, leading the Spartans to back-to-back CAP 7 tournament championship wins and the final four in the NCHSAA Eastern Finals.
He returned to his alma mater NCCU as an assistant coach and then head coach of the men’s basketball team. Since then, NCCU has won three MEAC regular-season championships, won two MEAC Tournament titles, made two trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament and made their very first appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.
LeVelle was named MEAC Coach of the year twice and was inducted into the NCCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. His legendary coaching career comes with a long list of awards and honors, including finalist spots for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award and the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award.
Off the court, LeVelle has made community involvement and philanthropy one of his highest priorities. The VelleCares Foundation was created to assist community organizations that promote health, education and life skills for children and families in at-risk situations. Each year, LeVelle hosts his annual “Back to School Community Day” event with NBA Star PJ Tucker at the Raleigh Boys & Girls Club. The event provides schools supplies and backpacks to more than 700 children and families each year. They also host the annual “Single Mothers Salute” event, honoring over 100 single mothers each year from across the Triangle.
In December of 2013, Moton received his Master’s degree in Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities. LeVelle and his wife, Bridget, are the proud parents of Brooke and LeVelle Jr.
LeVelle Moton was inducted into the Wake County Public School System Hall of Fame in 2017.
