Position: PG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185
Years Pro: 1
Hometown: Hoboken, NJ
Prior to NBA: University of Kansas
Twitter: @tyshawntaylor
Analysis:
With Deron Williams out for preseason as he nurtured an injured right ankle, Tyshawn Taylor AKA Tee Y got a shot to strut his stuff — and, barring a minor setback with an ankle injury, he succeeded. Heading into the team’s final preseason game, Taylor led the guards in preseason scoring at 12.0 points per game, averaging a shade over 18 points per 36 minutes. He didn’t pass well and had his fair share of turnovers, but attacked the basket relentlessly, leading to this description:
Tyshawn Taylor is better than you think and not as good as he thinks.
— The Brooklyn Game (@TheBKGame) October 23, 2013
Taylor’s surprisingly adept at getting to the rim and scoring through contact for a second-round point guard, and though he still slightly alters his release on his jumpers more often the not, he’s also able to knock down a three-pointer with efficiency. Taylor’s also a frenetic defender for a second-year guard, often gambling on steals and playing passing lanes but making up for it with tough, intentioned man defense.
It’s his decision making that leaves much to be desired; Taylor earned the nickname “Tyshawn Turnover” at Kansas for a reason, and his careless play led to a fair amount of turnovers his rookie season. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Coach Jason Kidd, who knows a thing or five about playing the point guard position in the NBA, routinely says that turnovers by a young point guard can often be a good thing, as it’s indicative of experimentation with limits and setting up teammates.
Like his rookie teammate Tornike Shengelia, Taylor shined with the Springfield Armor last season. In eight games over numerous stints, Taylor proved that while Shengelia may be the LeBron of the D-League, Tyshawn is its Russell Westbrook:
With Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston manning the majority of point duties and Taylor still just a second-year pro, he’ll probably see much of his time in Springfield again this year. Taylor, Shengelia, and rookie Mason Plumlee are the only three players the Nets can send down to the Armor unlimited times sans player permission, and they’ll likely take full advantage of that opportunity to dominate the D-League a la LeBron, Wade, and Bosh.
| Previous: Deron Williams | Next: Alan Anderson |
| Shaun Livingston | Deron Williams | Tyshawn Taylor | Alan Anderson | Joe Johnson | Jason Terry | Andrei Kirilenko | Paul Pierce | Tornike Shengelia | Reggie Evans | Kevin Garnett | Mirza Teletovic | Andray Blatche | Brook Lopez | Mason Plumlee |
