Deshon Taylor
{{short description|American basketball player (born 1996)}}
{{for|the Bahamian basketball player|D'Shon Taylor}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Deshon Taylor
| image =
| caption =
| number =
| team = Free agent
| position = Point guard
| league =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|3|17}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 185
| high_school = John W. North
(Riverside, California)
| college =
- Kansas City (2014–2015)
- Fresno State (2016–2019)
| draft_year = 2019
| career_start = 2019
| years1 = 2019–2020
| team1 = Sydney Kings
| years2 = 2021
| team2 = Canterbury Rams
| years3 = 2021
| team3 = Kouvot
| years4 = 2021–2022
| team4 = Atomerőmű SE
| years5 = 2022–2023
| team5 = Kouvot
| years6 = 2023–2024
| team6 = Final Gençlik
| years7 = 2024
| team7 = Hapoel Haifa
| years8 = 2024
| team8 = Cairns Taipans
| years9 = 2025
| team9 = KTP Basket
| highlights =
- 2× First-team All-Mountain West (2018, 2019)
- Third-team All-Mountain West (2017)
- 2× Mountain West All-Defensive Team (2018, 2019)
}}
Deshon Davion Taylor (born March 17, 1996{{cite web |title=Deshon Taylor |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3130608/deshon-taylor |website=ESPN |access-date=December 11, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Deshon Taylor International Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/deshon-taylor-1.html |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=December 11, 2020}}) is an American professional basketball player who last played for KTP Basket of the Korisliiga. He played college basketball for the UMKC Kangaroos and Fresno State Bulldogs.
High school career
Taylor was born in Los Angeles, California, to Desha Taylor and Terri Bailey.{{cite web |title=Deshon Taylor |url=https://kcroos.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/deshon-taylor/2163 |website=University of Missouri–Kansas City |accessdate=November 20, 2020}} He played at John W. North High School in Riverside, California, and helped lead his team to four consecutive league titles. As a senior, Taylor averaged 24.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.6 steals a game while earning conference MVP, first-team all-state and all-county honors. He was recruited by Hawaii, UC Riverside and Portland State,{{cite web |title=Deshon Taylor – Men's Basketball – Fresno State Athletics |url=https://gobulldogs.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8638 |website=Fresno State Athletics |accessdate=25 June 2019}} but committed to play for the UMKC Kangaroos.
College career
=UMKC=
As a freshman at the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 2014–15, Taylor started 10 of his 33 games. He averaged 7.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists a game. At the season's end, he elected to transfer from the program.
=Fresno State=
Taylor chose to transfer to Fresno State as a walk-on due to the university being close to home and wanting to reunite with past teammates who were on the roster.{{cite web |last1=Kuwada |first1=Robert |title=Taylor and Huggins go out in style on Senior Night as Bulldogs rip San Jose State |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/college/mountain-west/fresno-state/bulldogs-basketball/article227351304.html |website=The Fresno Bee |accessdate=31 August 2019}} Per National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regulations, Taylor redshirted during the Bulldogs' 2015–16 season.
In his sophomore season and debut season in 2016–17 at Fresno State, Taylor played a sixth man role, starting 15 of his 33 games. He averaged 12.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals (9th), while leading the Mountain West Conference with a free throw percentage of .879. Taylor was named to the All-Mountain West Third Team.
During his junior season in 2017–18, Taylor was elevated to a permanent starting position. He scored a career-high 32 points against Nevada on January 31, 2018.{{cite web |title=BC-BKC—T25-Fresno State-Nevada |url=https://www.apnews.com/c6210d43f1364785970a0a73d5f88824 |website=Associated Press |accessdate=25 June 2019}} He averaged team-highs in points (17.8; in the Mountain West Conference (MWC)) and assists (2.6), as well as 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals (3rd) a game, with a free throw percentage of .833 (5th). His 200 made free throws were a single season program record.{{cite web |title=2018–19 MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM |url=https://themw.com/news/2018/10/15/2018-19-mountain-west-mens-basketball-preseason-all-conference-team.aspx?path=mbball |website=Mountain West Conference |accessdate=25 June 2019}} Taylor was named to the All-Mountain West First Team and All-Defense Team. He initially declared for the 2018 NBA draft, but elected to return to Fresno State for his senior season.{{cite web |title=AFTER TESTING NBA DRAFT WATERS, SIX PLAYERS SET TO RETURN |url=https://themw.com/news/2018/5/31/mens-basketball-after-testing-nba-draft-waters-six-players-set-to-return.aspx |website=Mountain West Conference |accessdate=25 June 2019}}
Before the start of his final 2018–19 season at Fresno State, Taylor was named to the 2018–19 Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team. On March 10, 2019, Taylor set a new career high in points with 37 to help win Fresno State's regular season finale against San Jose State.{{cite web |title=Fresno St blitzes San Jose St setting multiple records |url=https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401089676 |website=ESPN |accessdate=25 June 2019}} This game, coupled with a 25-point performance in a win against San Diego State,{{cite web |title=Williams, Fresno State stun San Diego State 76–74 |url=https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401089675 |website=ESPN |accessdate=25 June 2019}} earned Taylor his first MW Player of the Week award on March 11, 2019.{{cite web |title=MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK |url=https://themw.com/news/2019/3/11/mountain-west-mens-basketball-player-of-the-week.aspx |website=Mountain West Conference |accessdate=25 June 2019}} In the quarterfinals of the 2019 Mountain West Conference tournament against Air Force, Taylor led his team to a win with 18 points and set a career-high in assists with 10.{{cite web |title=Taylor carries Fresno St. past Air Force 76–50 in MW tourney |url=https://www.apnews.com/3a3d680373d44a65aa722fc13150629b |website=Associated Press |date=15 March 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2019}} In his final game for Fresno State, Taylor scored six points in a loss to Utah State in the Mountain West Conference tournament semifinals.{{cite web |title=Merrill lifts Utah St. over Fresno St. 85–60 in MWC tourney |url=https://www.apnews.com/01f15b08a1ba44e1b48e23447deedb1f |website=Associated Press |date=16 March 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2019}} Taylor finished the season averaging 17.9 points (5th in the MWC), 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists (2nd), and 1.4 steals (3rd) a game, with a free throw percentage of .784 (6th). He ranked in the top 10 in nine of the 13 major individual statistical categories in the Mountain West, which was the most of any player in the conference. Taylor finished his career at Fresno State as the program's seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,482 points.
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Taylor played for the Philadelphia 76ers during the NBA Summer League.{{cite web |last1=Gligich |first1=Daniel |title=Ex-Bulldog Taylor joins 76ers for Summer League |url=http://sjvsun.com/sports/bulldogs/ex-bulldog-taylor-joins-76ers-for-summer-league/ |website=The San Joaquin Valley Sun |date=25 June 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2019}} He signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL){{cite web |title=Californian guard to join 36ers in NBL |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/californian-guard-to-join-36ers-in-nbl |website=SBS News |accessdate=25 June 2019}} but was released before the start of the regular season after the team decided to re-sign Jerome Randle.{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/jerome-randle-returns-to-the-adelaide-36ers|title=Jerome Randle Returns to the Adelaide 36ers|work=NBL.com.au|date=October 2, 2019|accessdate=October 2, 2019|archive-date=October 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009121810/https://nbl.com.au/news/jerome-randle-returns-to-the-adelaide-36ers|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last=Santamaria |first=Liam |title=Turning the Corner: Deshon Taylor's Turbulent First Pro Season |url=https://nbl.com.au/news/turning-the-corner-deshon-taylors-turbulent-first-pro-season |website=NBL.com.au |access-date=October 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324140118/https://nbl.com.au/news/turning-the-corner-deshon-taylors-turbulent-first-pro-season |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |date=April 5, 2020}} Taylor then had a probationary period with Latvian team VEF Rīga where he did not appear in a game but participated in team practices.{{cite web|url=http://www.vefriga.com/lv/jaunumi/zinas/vef-riga-uz-parbaudes-laiku-pievienojies-amerikanu-saspeles-vaditajs-desons-teilors-2627|title="VEF RĪGA" UZ PĀRBAUDES LAIKU PIEVIENOJIES AMERIKĀŅU SASPĒLES VADĪTĀJS DEŠONS TEILORS|work=vefriga.com|date=October 25, 2019|accessdate=October 31, 2019|language=Latvian|archive-date=October 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031042040/http://www.vefriga.com/lv/jaunumi/zinas/vef-riga-uz-parbaudes-laiku-pievienojies-amerikanu-saspeles-vaditajs-desons-teilors-2627|url-status=dead}}
On October 31, 2019, Taylor returned to Australia after signing with the Sydney Kings as an injury replacement for Kevin Lisch.{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/sydney-sign-deshon-taylor-as-injury-replacement|title=Sydney Sign Deshon Taylor as Injury Replacement|work=NBL.com.au|date=October 31, 2019|accessdate=October 31, 2019}} Upon Lisch's return, Taylor's stint with the Kings was extended when he was nominated to serve as an injury replacement for Craig Moller.{{cite web |last1=Warren |first1=Adrian |title=Lisch to bolster NBL leading Sydney Kings |url=https://www.espn.com/nbl/story/_/id/28222731/lisch-bolster-nbl-leading-sydney-kings |website=ESPN |accessdate=4 December 2019 |date=4 December 2019}} He was removed from the playing roster prior to the start of the playoffs due to the team's return to health but stayed with the Kings while they appeared in the 2020 NBL Finals, where they lost in a shortened finals series to the Perth Wildcats. In 22 games for the Kings, he averaged 6.6 points in 14.9 minutes per game.{{cite web |title=Deshon Taylor Player Profile, Fresno State – RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Deshon-Taylor/Summary/81441 |website=basketball.realgm.com |access-date=30 October 2024 |language=en}}
On January 12, 2021, Taylor signed with the Canterbury Rams of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the 2021 season.{{cite news |title=Canterbury Rams Announce The Signing Of Deshon Taylor |url=https://canterburyrams.basketball/signing-deshon-taylor/ |website=Canterbury Rams |access-date=January 15, 2021 |date=January 12, 2021}} In 18 games, he averaged 22.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.
For the 2021–22 season, Taylor joined Kouvot of the Finnish Korisliiga. In 13 games, he averaged 17.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. In December 2021, he joined Atomerőmű SE of the Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A.{{cite web |title=Atomeromu tabs Deshon Taylor, ex Kouvot |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Finland/news/719748/Atomeromu-tabs-Deshon-Taylor,-ex-Kouvot |website=eurobasket.com |access-date=January 7, 2022 |date=December 6, 2021}} With them, in 23 games he averaged 12.9 points per game.
Taylor re-joined Kouvot for the 2022–23 season. He was named as the league's player of the month in October 2022 as he averaged 27.3 points per game.{{cite web |last1=Vesala |first1=Juha |title=Kouvojen Deshon Taylor Korisliigan kuukauden pelaaja – Pelintekijä on naulannut alkukauden huikealla 27,3 pisteen keskiarvolla |url=https://www.kouvolansanomat.fi/urheilu/5477312 |website=Kouvolan Sanomat |access-date=November 9, 2022 |language=Finnish |date=November 3, 2022}} For the season, in 26 games with the team he averaged a league-leading 25.4 points per game.{{cite web |title=2022–2023 Finnish Korisliiga Stats |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/37/Finnish-Korisliiga/stats/2023/Averages/Qualified/All/points/All/desc/1/Regular_Season |website=basketball.realgm.com |access-date=30 October 2024 |language=en}}
On August 9, 2023, Taylor signed with Final Gençlik of the Türkiye Basketbol Ligi (TBL).{{cite web |title=Final Spor, Deshon Taylor ve Brendan Medley-Bacon ile sözleşme imzaladı |url=https://www.bursasporx.com/final-spor-deshon-taylor-ve-brendan-medley-bacon-ile-sozlesme-imzaladi |website=Bursasporx |access-date=December 9, 2023 |language=Turkish |date=August 9, 2023}} For the season, he averaged 19.7 points per game.
Taylor began the 2024–25 season with Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played in the team's three games in the Winner Cup. On October 30, 2024, he signed with the Cairns Taipans of the Australian NBL as an injury replacement for Pedro Bradshaw.{{cite news |title=Deshon Taylor joins the Taipans |url=https://www.taipans.com/news/deshon-taylor-joins-the-taipans |access-date=30 October 2024 |work=Cairns Taipans {{!}} Official NBL Website |date=30 October 2024}} He played three games for the Taipans.{{cite news |title=Le Portel signs Deshon Taylor, ex Cairns |url=https://www.australiabasket.com/Australia/news/912538/Le-Portel-signs-Deshon-Taylor-ex-Cairns |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=australiabasket.com |date=17 January 2025}} On January 17, 2025, Taylor signed with ESSM Le Portel of the LNB Élite;{{cite web |last1=De Abreu |first1=Dylan |title=Deshon Taylor renforce Le Portel |url=https://tribune47.com/deshon-taylor-renforce-le-portel/ |website=Tribune 47 |access-date=May 7, 2025 |language=French |date=January 17, 2025}} he departed six days later without appearing in a game.{{cite web |last1=De Abreu |first1=Dylan |title=Deshon Taylor quitte déjà Le Portel |url=https://tribune47.com/deshon-taylor-quitte-deja-le-portel/ |website=Tribune 47 |access-date=May 7, 2025 |language=French |date=January 23, 2025}} On January 26, Taylor signed with KTP Basket in a return to the Korisliiga.{{cite web |last1=Kimpanpää |first1=Pekka |title=Kouvoista tuttu Deshon Taylor loppukaudeksi Kotkaan – Tulokkaalta odotetaan johtajuutta ja tietynlaista ilkeyttä kentällä |url=https://www.kymensanomat.fi/urheilu/8238901 |website=Kymen Sanomat |access-date=May 7, 2025 |language=Finnish |date=January 26, 2025}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2014–15
| style="text-align:left;"|UMKC
| 33 || 10 || 23.2 || .408 || .394 || .803 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .9 || .1 || 7.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2016–17
| style="text-align:left;"|Fresno State
| 33 || 16 || 28.2 || .443 || .403 || .879 || 2.4 || 2.1 || 1.2 || .1 || 12.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2017–18
| style="text-align:left;"|Fresno State
| 32 || 30 || 33.8 || .439 || .386 || .833 || 3.2 || 2.6 || 1.5 || .2 || 17.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2018–19
| style="text-align:left;"|Fresno State
| 28 || 27 || 35.6 || .446 || .401 || .784 || 3.7 || 5.0 || 1.4 || .2 || 17.9
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 126 || 83 || 29.9 || .437 || .396 || .829 || 2.8 || 2.7 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.7
{{s-end}}
Personal life
Taylor is a cousin of former NBA player Quincy Pondexter. He has a son.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/180485/deshon-taylor Proballers profile]
- [https://nbl.com.au/player/3694/1178641/deshon-taylor NBL profile]
- [https://gobulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/deshon-taylor/8638 Fresno State Bulldogs college bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Deshon}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Australia
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Finland
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Hungary
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel
Category:American expatriate basketball people in New Zealand
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Los Angeles
Category:Basketball players from Riverside, California
Category:Cairns Taipans players
Category:Canterbury Rams players
Category:Fresno State Bulldogs men's basketball players
Category:Hapoel Haifa B.C. players
Category:John W. North High School alumni
Category:Kansas City Roos men's basketball players