Early life
Taylor grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky and attended Bowling Green High School. During his junior year, he averaged 15.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game and was named second-team All-State. Taylor committed to play college basketball at Austin Peay State University going into his senior year over offers from Texas Southern and Southeast Missouri State. [1] As a senior, Taylor averaged 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game and was named first team All-State and the MVP of the Kentucky Sweet 16 after averaging 20.5 points and 10 rebounds where he led Bowling Green to its first state title, alongside Zion Harmon, former consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2021. Taylor scored 1,704 points and grabbed 1,300 rebounds over four seasons with Bowling Green. [2]
College career
As a true freshman, Taylor averaged 15.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and was named the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Freshman of the Year and first team All-OVC. [3] As a sophomore he averaged 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and was again named first team All-OVC. [4] [5] He scored the 1,000th point of his college career during the season as part of a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in a win over Eastern Illinois on February 9, 2019. [6] Taylor's career-high 39 points came on December 17, in an 80–61 win over McKendree. [7] On January 23, 2020, Taylor hit a career-high six three-pointers and had 37 points and 14 rebounds in a 99–74 win over Tennessee State. [8] Taylor was named the Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and first team All-OVC for a third straight season as a junior after averaging 21.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. [9] [10] Following the season, Taylor declared for the 2020 NBA draft, but maintained his college eligibility, ultimately returning for his senior year. [11]
On December 5, 2020, Taylor surpassed the 2,000-career-point mark, scoring 10 points in a 102–38 win against Carver College. [12]
Professional career
Fort Wayne Mad Ants / Indiana Pacers (2021–2023)
After not being selected in the 2021 NBA draft, Taylor signed with the Indiana Pacers on August 5, 2021. [13] He played for the Pacers during the 2021 NBA Summer League, [14] but was waived on October 15. [15] Nine days later, he joined the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League. [16] After 11 games for Fort Wayne, he signed a two-way contract with Indiana on December 15, 2021. Under the terms of the deal, he split time between the Pacers and the Mad Ants. [17]
On February 2, 2022, in his seventh NBA game against the Orlando Magic, Taylor subbed in 22 seconds into the game and stepped up as the Pacers' center. He recorded career highs of 24 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists in 37 minutes for his first career double-double. [18] On April 7, 2022, the Pacers converted his two-way contract into a standard one. [19]
In 18 games for Fort Wayne during the 2021–22 NBA G League season, Taylor averaged 21.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. [14]
Taylor played for the Pacers during the 2022 NBA Summer League. [14] After fives games with Fort Wayne [20] and 26 games with Indiana during the 2022–23 season, [21] he was waived by the Pacers on February 9, 2023. [22]
Sacramento / Stockton Kings (2024–2025)
On September 23, 2024, Taylor signed with the Sacramento Kings, [26] but was waived on October 18. [27] On October 27, he joined the Stockton Kings for the 2024–25 NBA G League season. [28] On March 18, 2025, he signed a 10-day contract with Sacramento. [29] He appeared in three NBA games, and following the expiration of his 10-day contract, he returned to Stockton. [14]
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