Marcus Taylor
Marcus Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 25, 1981 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Former professional basketball player, President and CEO of Marcus Taylor's Basketball Skills Development |
| Known for | Basketball career, sports executive |
Marcus Taylor (born November 25, 1981) is a former American professional basketball athlete who currently serves as the President and CEO of Marcus Taylor's Basketball Skills Development.
During his high school career, he was recognized as a Naismith All-American, participated in the McDonald's All-American, earned the distinction of two-time Parade All-American and was named to the USA Today 1st-team All-American. In 2000, he received the prestigious Mr. Basketball of Michigan Award.
Taylor competed collegiately for two seasons at Michigan State University. In his second year, he made history by becoming just the second player in Big Ten annals to lead the conference in both scoring and assists simultaneously—a first for MSU. Additionally, he secured a gold medal with the United States national basketball team at the 2001 FIBA Under-21 World Championship held in Saitama, Japan.
Drafted 52nd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2002 NBA draft, Taylor took part in the Timberwolves' 2002 Shaw's Pro Summer League and later joined the Washington Wizards' 2003 Reebok Pro Summer League. His professional journey included engagements with several teams: the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the CBA, France's ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, Greece's MENT Vassilakis, Southern Crescent Lightning of the WBA, as well as multiple NBA G-League franchises such as the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Tulsa 66ers, and Anaheim Arsenal. Furthermore, he competed for Germany’s TBB Trier. Taylor concluded his playing career in 2009 following an injury that forced his retirement.