Athlete of the Week: Leonard's Emmanuel Augustin leaves it all on the court for loved ones

WEST PALM BEACH — Late nights spent watching film. Near-mandatory postgame phone calls on what was done well ... and what could've been done better.

That's what Emmanuel Augustin remembers about his uncle, Kerole Ulysse.

Ulysse died of cancer in October.

Since then, his nephew, an impact player at John I. Leonard High, has been navigating his senior year on the hardwood in honor of the man who inspired his love for basketball.

"Every day I think about him," Augustin said. "Ever since I was a kid, he would always talk to me about basketball."

The way Augustin carries himself with a smile, always making sure to share it with others, masks the hurt that's marked his high school career.

Augustin also plays in memory of his grandmother, Argentine Innocent, who died in March 2021, the spring of his freshman year.

Even in moments that would push most to the tipping point, like nagging comments about his size from opposing players, Augustin remembers those who taught him to drown out the noise.

Something to prove

Then he takes the ball back, flits downcourt for a layup, and lights up the scoreboard, once again.

"Every time I'm on the court, I think about them and I go hard," he said.

It helps that college recruiters recognize that Augustin's speed outweighs his 5-foot-9 stature any day, too.

When tasked with guarding some of the tallest guys at the best programs in the nation while playing on the travel circuit with the Wellington Wolves, he proves time and time again that he's a standout among the top guards in Florida.

"My coaches, they've just been telling me to just stay composed. 'Everything's gonna come to you, just keep working,' " Augustin said. "It's been showing."

Immeasurable impact

Augustin says Division II programs St. Leo and Alabama A&M have interest, along with a handful of D-III and NAIA teams.

If you couldn't have guessed, he's John I. Leonard's top scorer, averaging 15.7 points per game. Augustin also leads the Lancers in assists and steals, averaging over five per game in each category. His defensive abilities impress as well, tied with 6-foot-4 sophomore Bryce Reed for a team-leading 16 pass deflections.

For his 16-point performance in Leonard's 62-59 win against Dr. Joaquin Garcia back in December, highlighted by a 70-foot shot to clinch the victory in overtime, Augustin earned the honor of being selected as The Post's Athlete of the Week.

"It means a lot to me because I've been putting in a lot of work this year to prove myself. I'm trying to prove myself in this county that I am who I say I am," Augustin said, explaining he feels "stepped on" by Palm Beach County athletes.

Now, it's on to other milestones like a run for the trophy in a stacked District 8, which Leonard would be accomplishing for the first time since 2012 should the team surprise Lake Worth, Palm Beach Central, Wellington, Royal Palm or Forest Hill. The Lancers currently stand 7-3.

"I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. Stay composed and don't worry about the outsiders," Augustin said.

"Just have fun."

Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Leonard's Emmanuel Augustin leaves it all on the court for loved ones