Celeste Taylor

Taylor is from Queens, New York and is the granddaughter of Colombian immigrants. She grew up living with her maternal grandparents in a three-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, where a total of nine people lived. Taylor became fluent in Spanish and visited Colombia once as a child. Her athleticism was already noticed in elementary school, and in addition to basketball, she was a talented softball player.{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=José de Jesus |date=2024-08-08 |title=Colombian roots set foundation for Celeste Taylor |url=https://ouresquina.com/2024/colombian-roots-set-foundation-for-celeste-taylor/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Our Esquina |language=en-US}}

Taylor played varsity basketball for Valley Stream South High School in Valley Stream, New York in seventh grade. One year later, she transferred Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in Brookville, New York, where she became a starter as a freshman.{{cite web |last1=DeJohn |first1=Kenny |title=Newsday's All-Long Island girls basketball team |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/girls-basketball/newsday-s-all-long-island-girls-basketball-team-a98192 |website=Newsday |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=April 13, 2019}} As a senior, Taylor was named New York Gatorade Player of the Year. She was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic.{{cite web |last1=DeJohn |first1=Kenny |title=LI Lutheran's Celeste Taylor named Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/girls-basketball/celeste-taylor-gatorade-player-of-the-year-h45167 |website=Newsday |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=March 10, 2019}} Taylor was named Newsday Long Island Player of the Year in her final two years.{{cite web |last1=Sarra |first1=Gregg |title=LuHi's Andre Curbelo, Celeste Taylor did it all en route to Newsday Player of the Year honors |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/andre-curbelo-celeste-taylor-long-island-lutheran-h54959 |website=Newsday |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=April 13, 2019}} Rated a five-star recruit by ESPN, she committed to playing college basketball for Texas over offers from Stanford, Notre Dame, Ohio State and South Carolina, among other programs.{{cite web |last1=Amato |first1=Laura |title=Long Island Lutheran basketball star Celeste Taylor commits to Texas |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/long-island-lutheran-basketball-star-celeste-taylor-commits-to-texas-f99845 |website=Newsday |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=November 14, 2018}}

As a freshman at Texas, Taylor averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, leading the team with 31 three-pointers. She was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.{{cite web |last1=Moyle |first1=Nick |title=Back in New York, UT’s Celeste Taylor still grinding |url=https://www.expressnews.com/sports/college_sports/longhorns/article/Back-in-New-York-UT-s-Celeste-Taylor-still-15323310.php |website=San Antonio Express-News |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=June 7, 2020}} She averaged 12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a sophomore, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention. For her junior season, Taylor transferred to Duke and averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.{{cite web |last1=Adler |first1=Em |title=Duke women’s basketball adds another former 5-star recruit in transfer Celeste Taylor |url=https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2021/04/duke-womens-basketball-celeste-taylor-transfers-to-duke |website=Duke Chronicle |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=April 10, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Adler |first1=Em |title=Duke women's basketball 2022-23 player preview: Celeste Taylor |url=https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2022/11/duke-womens-basketball-2022-23-player-preview-celeste-taylor |website=Duke Chronicle |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=November 2, 2022}} In her senior season, Taylor was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-ACC, while averaging 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. She set a program single-game record with 10 steals in a second-round loss to Colorado at the 2023 NCAA tournament.{{cite web |last1=Backstrom |first1=Andy |title=Scarlet Sunrise: Duke guard Celeste Taylor transfers to Ohio State |url=https://www.on3.com/teams/ohio-state-buckeyes/news/ohio-state-ohio-state-womens-basketball-buckeyes-duke-transfer-guard-celeste-taylor/ |publisher=On3 |access-date=September 27, 2023 |date=April 21, 2023}} Taylor transferred to Ohio State for her fifth season.{{cite web |last1=Philippou |first1=Alexa |title=Former Duke star Celeste Taylor transferring to Ohio State |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/36248557/former-duke-star-celeste-taylor-transferring-ohio-state |publisher=ESPN |access-date=September 27, 2023 |date=April 20, 2023}}

On April 15, 2024, Taylor was selected in the second round as the fifteenth overall pick of the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. She made the roster and played in five games for the Fever before being waived on June 25, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Peterson |first=Chloe |title=Indiana Fever activate Damiris Dantas' contract; waive rookie Celeste Taylor |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/basketball/wnba/fever/2024/06/25/indiana-fever-activate-damiris-dantas-waive-rookie-celeste-taylor-ohio-state-wnba-news/74209393007/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=The Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}}

On July 12, 2024, Taylor signed a seven-day contract with the Phoenix Mercury.{{cite web | title=Just hours after being signed by Mercury, Celeste Taylor faces former Indiana Fever team | url=https://sports.yahoo.com/just-hours-being-signed-mercury-231228332.html | publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=July 12, 2024 |date=July 12, 2024}}

On August 16, 2024, Taylor signed a seven-day contract with the Connecticut Sun.{{cite web | title=Connecticut Sun Signs Celeste Taylor | url=https://sun.wnba.com/news/connecticut-sun-signs-celeste-taylor | publisher=Connecticut Sun |access-date=August 16, 2024 |date=August 16, 2024}}

After two games with Connecticut, Taylor signed a second seven-day contract with the Mercury on August 23, 2024.{{cite web | title=Celeste Taylor miraculously returns to Mercury 1 week after short stint with Sun | url=https://burncitysports.com/2024/08/23/celeste-taylor-miraculously-returns-to-mercury-1-week-after-short-stint-with-sun/ | publisher= Burn City Sports |access-date=August 23, 2024 |date=August 23, 2024}} A week later, she signed a third seven-day contract and eventually secured a rest-of-season contract with the team. During her two stints with Phoenix, Taylor was a valuable part of the rotation, playing in 15 regular-season games, starting 4 of them, and averaging 20 minutes per game.{{Cite web |last=Moreno |first=Connor |date=2024-09-12 |title=Behind Celeste Taylor’s journey to finish season with Phoenix Mercury |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/09/12/celeste-taylor-journey-phoenix-mercury-wnba-season/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Cronkite News |language=en-US}} On January 22, 2025, the Mercury and Celeste Taylor agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed training camp contract deal.{{cite web |last1=Veenstra |first1=David |title=Phoenix Mercury and Celeste Taylor agree to training camp deal |url=https://desertwavemedia.substack.com/p/phoenix-mercury-and-celeste-taylor |website=Desert Wave |access-date=8 February 2025 |date=January 23, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Transactions |url=https://www.wnba.com/players/transactions?transaction=&team=all&month=0 |website=WNBA.com |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |access-date=8 February 2025 |date=January 22, 2025 |quote=Celeste Taylor signed a Training Camp Contract with the Phoenix Mercury.}} She was cut after training camp, and did not make the opening day roster.{{cite web |title=PHOENIX MERCURY SET 2025 ROSTER |url=https://mercury.wnba.com/news/phoenix-mercury-set-2025-roster |website=Phoenix Mercury |publisher=WNBA |date=May 15, 2025 |access-date=May 15, 2025}}

Taylor signed with the Sydney Flames for the 2024–25 WNBL season.{{Cite news |last=cward |date=2024-07-11 |title=Sydney Flames sign WNBA import Celeste Taylor on one-year deal - Sydney Flames |url=https://wnbl.basketball/sydneyflames/news/sydney-flames-sign-wnba-import-celeste-taylor-on-one-year-deal/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |work=Sydney Flames |language=en-US}}

Taylor won a gold medal with the United States national under-16 team at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women's Americas Championship in Argentina. She started in all five games and averaged 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last1=Olson |first1=Dan |title=Elite junior Celeste Taylor gives verbal commitment to Texas |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/story/_/id/21655002/junior-prospect-celeste-taylor-commits-karen-aston-texas-longhorns |publisher=ESPN |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=December 3, 2017}} Taylor played at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Women's Basketball World Cup in Belarus, averaging 6.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game en route to a gold medal.{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Myah |title=Celeste Taylor is a ‘perfect fit’ at Texas |url=https://thedailytexan.com/2019/09/25/celeste-taylor-is-a-perfect-fit-at-texas/ |website=The Daily Texan |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=September 15, 2019}} She won a third gold medal with the national under-19 team at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup in Thailand, where she averaged five points and 2.6 rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Women's Basketball's Taylor, USA win gold medal at FIBA U19 World Cup |url=https://texassports.com/news/2019/7/28/womens-basketballs-taylor-usa-win-gold-medal-at-fiba-u19-world-cup |publisher=University of Texas Athletics |access-date=February 18, 2023 |date=July 28, 2019}}

Stats current through end of 2024 season

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=Celeste Taylor WNBA statistics{{cite web |title=Celeste Taylor WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/t/tayloce01w.html |website=Basketball Reference}}}}

|-

| rowspan=3 align=left| {{wnbay|2024}}

| align=left| Indiana

| 5 || 0 || 3.2 || 1.000 || – || .500 || 0.2 || 0.2 || — || 0.2 || 0.2 || 0.6

|-

| align=left| Connecticut

| 2 || 0 || 5.4 || 1.000 || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || 1.0

|-

| align=left| Phoenix

| 15 || 4 || 20.0 || .317 || .200 || .563 || 1.8 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 0.6 || 1.4 || 3.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| align=left| Career

| align=left| 1 year, 3 teams

| 22 || 4 || 14.9 || .339 || .200 || .556 || 1.3 || 1.3 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 2.6

{{s-end}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=Celeste Taylor WNBA Playoff Statistics}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2024

| style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix

| 2 || 0 || 14.0 || .667 || .500 || — || 1.0 || 2.5 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 2.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| style="text-align:left;"| 1 year, 1 team

| 2 || 0 || 14.0 || .667 || .500 || — || 1.0 || 2.5 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 2.5

{{s-end}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=Celeste Taylor NCAA statistics{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/celeste-taylor-1.html|title=Celeste Taylor College Stats|publisher=Sports-Reference|accessdate=April 16, 2024}}}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20

| style="text-align:left;"| Texas

|30||26||27.9||34.0||28.4||70.8||4.8||1.5||1.4||0.7||2.8||9.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21

| style="text-align:left;"| Texas

|28||26||32.0||35.3||29.7||58.9||4.9||2.0||2.1||0.6||2.5||12.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22

| style="text-align:left;"| Duke

|23||22||28.5||38.8||33.3||69.0||5.5||2.1||1.8||0.5||2.8||11.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23

| style="text-align:left;"| Duke

| 33||33||28.9||39.4||32.1||67.5||4.8||2.5||2.2||0.6||2.2||11.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24

| style="text-align:left;"| Ohio State

|32||32||28.7||40.9||32.0||64.3||4.1||3.4||2.5||0.9||2.4||10.1

|- class="sortbottom"

|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

|146||139||29.2||37.6||31.1||66.3||4.8||2.3||2.0||0.7||2.5||10.8

{{S-end}}

Taylor graduated from college with a degree in child psychology and became the first person in her immediate family to graduate from college.{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=José de Jesus |date=2024-08-08 |title=Colombian roots set foundation for Celeste Taylor |url=https://ouresquina.com/2024/colombian-roots-set-foundation-for-celeste-taylor/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Our Esquina |language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Twitter|_celeste620}}
• {{Instagram|celeste620}}
• {{TikTok|celeste62001}}
• [https://goduke.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/celeste-taylor/18541 Duke Blue Devils bio]
• [https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/celeste-taylor/9562 Ohio State Buckeyes bio]
• [https://texassports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/celeste-taylor/9968 Texas Longhorns bio]

{{2024 WNBA draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Celeste}}

Category:Living people

Category:American women's basketball players

Category:Basketball players from Queens, New York

Category:Basketball players from Nassau County, New York

Category:Phoenix Mercury players

Category:Guards (basketball)

Category:Duke Blue Devils women's basketball players

Category:Indiana Fever draft picks

Category:Indiana Fever players

Category:Texas Longhorns women's basketball players

Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans

Category:Valley Stream South High School alumni

Category:2001 births

Category:21st-century American sportswomen