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1 - Isaiah Taylor

6-2, 180 Point Guard
Texas Junior
Birthday
07/11/94 (29.7 yrs)
Hometown
Hayward, CA
High School
The Village (TX)
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
7
Size
8
Defense
8
Strength
6
Quickness
9
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
7
NBA Ready
7
Ball Handling
8
Potential
8
Passing
8
Intangibles
8
91 Overall:

NBA Comparison: BJ Armstrong

Strengths: One of the fastest point guards in the NCAA, Taylor has immense potential in the transition game and his elite change of direction ability and foot speed make him a real threat to get into the lane … He has a deadly floater, an array of one handers, and is a creative finisher. Isaiah is clearly used to getting off high degree of difficulty shots over taller players … He’s a strong ball handler, and right now looks to be able to carry over these skills in the drive and kick game in the NBA. For a young guy (20 years old) he seems to have a nice foundation in the pick and roll game … Texas ran a 3 guard lineup last season, and Taylor put up a very solid 4 apg in a system in which he wasn’t the only guy setting up the offense … He’s tall for a point guard (6’2" – 6’3’’ in shoes) and he’s a very pesky defender,  especially in man to man situations … He’s been utilized very successfully in press situations, and does a great job of staying in front of his man. This is definitely aided by his direction changing ability and lateral quickness … If he comes away with a steal, he’s down the court with a layup in a split second. He’s also shown improvement on his shot as a sophomore. A good free throw shooter, His 83% clip through his first 12 games in 2014-15 is a solid number, and he’s also shown growth on his long range game already far surpassed his season total for 3 pointers from last season with 8 … His speed gives him intriguing potential and a pretty high ceiling, but he does have to tighten up some other parts of his game and get stronger …

Weaknesses: Although improving, Taylor really lacks a go to jump shot, and it’s very evident as he’s often more comfortable shooting flip shots and one handers 10 feet away from the goal … He hits these shots at a higher rate than one would expect, but it affirms that he isn’t particularly confident in his mid range jumper … He has improved his college three point range, but still lacks the ability to hit the NBA three with any sort of consistency … Isaiah is a thin guy, and only weighs in at 168 lbs. To translate his speed and quickness to the defensive end in the NBA, he’s going to have to bulk up in order to not be constantly giving up a strength advantage … Taylor could probably play at 185-190 pounds while maintaing his quickness. It’d also help him finish at the rim where he shot just 49.2% during the 2013-14 season … Should look to become a more vocal leader …

Overall: Early in his sophomore season following a broken wrist that put him out of action for 10 games, he’s seen a bit of a dip, but continued growth as a point guard and distributer will most certainly help his NBA stock, as his ability to play under control at a fast pace will make him a tough matchup … Isaiah Taylor has elite speed, and quickness. There may not be a guard in the NCAA who is as fast both with and without the ball in his hands, and he can really do some special things on the break and against defenses that are slow to get back. Taylor has a nice foundation in the drive and kick, and pick and roll games, which plays in well with the way a lot of NBA offenses are ran these days. He needs to continue to hit the weights, and work on his jumper to aid in his jump to the next level. An early season wrist injury halted a very hot start, but he has begun to build upon his early season success.

Notes: Measured 6’3’’ in shoes, with a 6’3.5’’ wingspan and weighed in at 168 lbs at the 2014 Nike Guard Skills Academy. Averaged 6 steals per game as a senior in high school, at The Village School, in Texas. 

David Ray 2/5/15

April 7, 2012 

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