Isaiah Taylor
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Isaiah Taylor
| image = Isaiah Taylor (26573913419) (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Taylor with the Atlanta Hawks in 2017
| position = Point guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 170
| league = ABA League
| team = Dubai Basketball
| number = 11
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|7|11}}
| birth_place = Hayward, California
| nationality = American
| high_school = The Village School (Houston, Texas)
| college = Texas (2013–2016)
| draft_year = 2016
| career_start = 2016
| years1 = 2016–2017
| team1 = Rio Grande Valley Vipers
| years2 = {{nbay|2016|end}}
| team2 = Houston Rockets
| years3 = {{nbay|2017|full=y}}
| team3 = Atlanta Hawks
| years4 = 2018
| team4 = →Erie BayHawks
| years5 = 2019–2020
| team5 = Rio Grande Valley Vipers
| years6 = 2020–2021
| team6 = Maccabi Rishon LeZion
| years7 = 2021–2022
| team7 = Murcia
| years8 = 2022–2023
| team8 = Anadolu Efes
| years9 = 2023
| team9 = Žalgiris Kaunas
| years10 = 2023–2024
| team10 = Shanxi Loongs
| years11 = 2024–present
| team11 = Dubai Basketball
| highlights = * Lithuanian League champion (2023)
- Lithuanian League Finals MVP (2023)
- Lithuanian Cup winner (2023)
- Spanish League Second Team (2022)
- NBA D-League All-Rookie Team (2017)
- First-team All-Big 12 (2016)
- Third-team All-Big 12 (2015)
- Big 12 All-Rookie Team (2014)
}}
Isaiah Shaquille Taylor (born July 11, 1994, in Hayward, California) is an American professional basketball player for Dubai Basketball of the ABA League.{{Cite web |title=Isaiah Taylor heading to Dubai |url=https://basketnews.com/news-211826-isaiah-taylor-heading-to-dubai.html |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=basketnews.com |language=en}} He has previously played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks, and three seasons of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns.
High school career
Taylor and his parents, Loretta Perkins and Kenneth Taylor, moved to Houston, Texas prior to his junior year in high school. As a junior at The Village School, he averaged 15.6 points and 12.0 assists per game and led his team to a 29–4 record. He led the team in scoring as a senior with 17.6 points per game to go along with 10.0 assists and 6.0 steals per game. Taylor shot 62.2 percent from the field in leading the Vikings to a 23–5 record. ESPN rated him the 13th-best prospect in Texas.{{cite web|title=Isaiah Taylor Bio|url=http://www.texassports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4719|website=Texas Longhorns|publisher=University of Texas|access-date=May 17, 2015}}
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|40=no|collapse=no|year=2013}}
{{College Athlete Recruit Entry
| recruit = Isaiah Taylor
| position = G
| hometown = Houston{{!}}Houston, TX
| highschool = The Village
| feet = 6
| inches = 2
| weight = 175
| 40 =
| commitdate = January 4, 2013
| scout stars = 3
| rivals stars = 2
| espn grade = 78
}}
|}
College career
Taylor was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team and was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention as a freshman.{{cite web|title=2014 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards Announced|url=http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209429962|website=Big 12 Conference|accessdate=May 17, 2015|date=March 9, 2014}} He finished second on the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game and led the Longhorns in minutes played (30.1 per game) and assists (4.0 per game). He earned Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors on February 3, 2014, after scoring 23 points in a home victory over Kansas. In the Round of 32 of the 2014 NCAA tournament, Taylor scored 22 points on 8-for-22 shooting in a loss to Michigan.{{cite news|title=Nik Stauskas leads Michigan past Texas in 3rd round|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400548473|access-date=May 17, 2015|work=ESPN|agency=Associated Press|date=March 22, 2014}}
As a sophomore, Taylor posted averages of 13.1 points and 4.6 assists per game in 24 games, shooting 28 percent from behind the 3-point arc and 52 percent on layups. He was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team.{{cite web|title=Sooners' Hield Leads All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Honors|url=http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209934691|website=Big 12 Conference|accessdate=May 17, 2015|date=March 8, 2015}} He missed several games after sustaining a wrist injury against Iowa in the 2K Classic. With Taylor out of the lineup, Texas struggled, even when he made a return to the team. After the season, Taylor announced he would return for his junior campaign, forgoing a possible second round pick in the 2015 NBA draft. CBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie wrote that new Texas coach Shaka Smart's "system will accentuate Taylor's quickness and athleticism quite well."{{cite news|last1=Vecenie|first1=Sam|title=Texas guard Isaiah Taylor will return for his junior season|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25163518/texas-guard-isaiah-taylor-will-return-for-his-junior-season|accessdate=May 17, 2015|work=CBS Sports|date=April 25, 2015}}
Professional career
=Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2016–2017)=
After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft, Taylor joined the Houston Rockets for the 2016 NBA Summer League. He signed with the Rockets on September 23, 2016,{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/rockets/rockets-announce-training-camp-roster|title=Rockets Announce Training Camp Roster|work=NBA.com|date=September 23, 2016|accessdate=September 23, 2016}} but was waived on October 16, 2016, after appearing in three preseason games.{{cite web|author=Houston Rockets|url=https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/787714921781788673|title=Roster Update: General Manager Daryl Morey...|work=Twitter|date=October 16, 2016|accessdate=October 16, 2016}} On October 31, 2016, he was acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Rockets.{{cite web|first=Anwar|last=Chagollan|url=http://riograndevalley.dleague.nba.com/news/vipers-perform-trade-erie-finalize-training-camp-roster/|title=Vipers perform trade with Erie and finalize training camp roster|work=NBA.com|date=October 31, 2016|accessdate=November 2, 2016}} Due to a groin injury, Taylor missed a large portion of the Vipers' 2016–17 campaign. In 12 games with seven starts, Taylor averaged a team-high 21.1 points along with 6.1 assists while shooting 49.7% from the floor, 41.3% from three-point range and 79.5% from the free throw line.{{cite web|last=Feigen|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Rockets-sign-Isaiah-Taylor-to-three-year-contract-10962864.php|title=Rockets sign Isaiah Taylor to three-year contract|work=Chron.com|date=February 27, 2017|accessdate=February 27, 2017}}
On February 27, 2017, Taylor signed a three-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Houston Rockets.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets-sign-isaiah-taylor|title=Rockets Sign Isaiah Taylor|work=NBA.com|date=February 27, 2017|accessdate=February 27, 2017}} He was immediately assigned back down to the Vipers.{{cite web|author=Calvin Watkins|url=https://twitter.com/calvinwatkins/status/836626940354146304|title=Rockets make it official and assigned guard...|work=Twitter|date=February 28, 2017|accessdate=February 28, 2017}} On April 2, 2017, he was recalled from the D-League and made his NBA debut that night in the Rockets' 123–116 win over the Phoenix Suns.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899475|title=Rockets, without Harden, send Suns to 12th straight loss|work=ESPN.com|date=April 2, 2017|access-date=April 2, 2017}} On October 13, 2017, Taylor was waived by the Rockets.
=Atlanta Hawks (2017–2018)=
On October 17, 2017, Taylor signed with the Atlanta Hawks.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-sign-isaiah-taylor/|title=Hawks Sign Isaiah Taylor|work=NBA.com|date=October 17, 2017|accessdate=October 17, 2017}} On June 30, 2018, he was waived by the Hawks.{{cite web|title=Atlanta Hawks Request Waivers on Isaiah Taylor|url=http://www.nba.com/hawks/atlanta-hawks-request-waivers-isaiah-taylor|website=NBA.com|accessdate=June 30, 2018|date=June 30, 2018}} On August 10, 2018, Taylor signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.{{cite web|url=https://cavsnation.com/cavs-news-cleveland-signs-isaiah-taylor-to-1-year-deal/|title=REPORT: Cavs sign Isaiah Taylor to 1-year deal|work=cavsnation.com|date=August 9, 2018|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} He was waived by Cleveland on October 13, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/waive-taylor-181013|title=Cavaliers Waive Isaiah Taylor|work=NBA.com|date=October 13, 2018|accessdate=October 16, 2018}}
=Toronto Raptors (2019)=
On September 19, 2019, Taylor signed a partially guaranteed deal with the Toronto Raptors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/report-toronto-raptors-isaiah-taylor-agree-to-partially-guaranteed-deal-1.1367507|title=Report: Toronto Raptors, Isaiah Taylor agree to partially guaranteed deal - TSN.ca|author=TSN ca Staff|date=2019-09-18|website=TSN|language=en|access-date=2019-09-18}}{{cite web|title=Raptors Sign Isaiah Taylor|url=https://www.nba.com/raptors/press-release/raptors-sign-taylor|website=NBA.com|accessdate=September 19, 2019|date=September 19, 2019}} On October 21, 2019, Taylor was waived by the Raptors.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-raptors-waive-guard-isaiah-taylor-1.1384177|title=Raptors waive guard Taylor|date=October 20, 2019|website=tsn.ca|accessdate=October 21, 2019}}
=Second stint with Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2019–2020)=
On December 31, 2019, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced that they had claimed Taylor off waivers.{{cite web|url=https://riograndevalley.gleague.nba.com/news/vipers-make-roster-moves|title=VIPERS MAKE ROSTER MOVES|date=December 31, 2019|website=NBA.com|accessdate=December 31, 2019}} On January 12, 2020, Taylor registered 24 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one steal in a win over the South Bay Lakers.{{cite news |title=Isaiah Taylor: Continues scorching offense |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/isaiah-taylor-continues-scorching-offense/ |accessdate=May 22, 2020 |work=CBS Sports |date=January 13, 2020}} Taylor averaged 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.{{cite web |title=Getting Back to the NBA is the Goal for Isaiah Taylor |url=https://www.ridiculousupside.com/2020/3/18/21163359/getting-back-to-the-nba-is-the-goal-for-isaiah-taylor |website=Ridiculous Upside |publisher=SB Nation |accessdate=May 22, 2020 |date=March 18, 2020}}
=Maccabi Rishon LeZion (2020–2021)=
On September 7, 2020, Taylor signed with Maccabi Rishon LeZion of the Israeli Premier League.{{cite web |title=Isaiah Taylor joins Maccabi Rishon LeZion |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/isaiah-taylor-joins-maccabi-rishon-lezion/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=September 7, 2020 |date=September 7, 2020}}
=UCAM Murcia (2021–2022)=
On February 22, 2021, Taylor signed with UCAM Murcia of the Spanish Liga ACB.{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/ucam-murcia-lands-isaiah-taylor/|title=UCAM Murcia lands Isaiah Taylor|last=|first=|date=February 22, 2021|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
=Anadolu Efes (2022)=
On November 1, 2022, he signed with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).{{Cite web|url=https://anadoluefessk.org/haber/isaiah-shaquille-taylor-anadolu-efes-te|last=|first=|title=Isaiah Shaquille Taylor Anadolu Efes’te|date=November 1, 2022|website=|publisher=Anadolu Efes|language=tr|access-date=November 1, 2022}} On January 1, 2023, his contract option was not picked up by the EuroLeague champions.
=Žalgiris Kaunas (2023)=
On January 6, 2023, Taylor signed with Žalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) for the rest of the 2022–23 season, replacing the injured Keenan Evans.{{Cite web|url=https://zalgiris.lt/en/news/bc-zalgiris/105082/|title=Zalgiris Kaunas adds Isaiah Taylor to its backcourt|publisher=Žalgiris Kaunas|date=January 6, 2023|access-date=January 6, 2023}} On June 27, 2023, he parted ways with the club.
=Shanxi Loongs (2023–2024)=
On September 13, 2023, Taylor signed with Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).{{Cite web|title=Isaiah Taylor leaves Europe to join Shanxi Fenjiu PBC in China|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1553094/isaiah-taylor-zalgiris-kaunas-euroleague-china-shanxi-fenjiu-pbc/|publisher=Eurohoops|date=September 13, 2023|access-date=September 13, 2023}}
Career statistics
{{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
=NBA=
==Regular season==
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2016}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 4 || 0 || 13.0 || .143 || .000 || .500 || .8 || .8 || .3 || .3 || .8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2017}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta
| 67 || 9 || 17.4 || .418 || .250 || .702 || 1.4 || 3.1 || .5 || .1 || 6.6
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 71 || 9 || 17.2 || .413 || .244 || .699 || 1.4 || 2.9 || .5 || .2 || 3.7
{{S-end}}
==Playoffs==
=EuroLeague=
{{Euroleague player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"rowspan=2|2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"|Anadolu Efes
| 11 || 0 || 10.3 || .375 || .286 || 1.000 || .5 || .5 || .5 || .0 || 2.6 || 1.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Žalgiris
| 15 || 9 || 17.1 || .495 || .533 || .630 || 1.1 || 2.4 || .5 || .0 || 7.9 || 5.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career
| 26 || 9 || 14.2 || .471 || .455 || .722 || .8 || 1.6 || .5 || .0 || 5.7 || 4.0
{{s-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaiah-taylor/012068/ EuroLeague profile]
- [http://stats.nbadleague.com/player/#!/1627819/ NBA D-League profile]
- [https://texassports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4719 Texas Longhorns bio]
{{Dubai Basketball current roster}}
{{LKL Finals MVP}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Isaiah}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:American expatriate basketball people in China
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Israel
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Lithuania
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Turkey
Category:Anadolu Efes S.K. players
Category:Atlanta Hawks players
Category:Basketball players from California
Category:Houston Rockets players
Category:Rio Grande Valley Vipers players
Category:Shanxi Loongs players
Category:Sportspeople from Hayward, California
Category:Baseball players from Alameda County, California
Category:Texas Longhorns men's basketball players
Category:Undrafted NBA players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen