Could Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor Be the Next Great Point Guard?

The best point guard you haven’t heard about is Tyshawn Taylor of Kansas. I’ve seen him play a few times this year and this kid will be a great pro. He won a high school National Championship at St. Anthony’s in New Jersey under legendary coach Bob Hurley Sr. before taking his game to the defending NCAA champion Kansas Jayhawks.

Around the college scene when the subject of best point guards is mentioned, you will not here Taylors name called. That’s partly because he’s a freshman and also because Kansas has another player by the name of Sherron Collins (Jr) who plays the same position, and is also having a great year.

Tyshawn Taylor is currently averaging 10 points and 3.7 assists, so some are wondering what the fuss is all about. When it comes to evaluating talent, it isn’t always about what you’ve done, but about what you are capable of doing, and I see a very bright future for this young man.

Tyshawn can do some of the simple things extremely well. For example, feeding the post players. When you are posting up, there is a specific moment when you have the defender on your hip, and you really want the ball. That’s when he gets it to you, and it’s always a pass that isn’t too hard or soft, but just right. Many of his passes to the post are of the bounce pass variety, so the post player can easily catch it, while keeping his eye out for the double team.

He also knows how to make the simple passes that get an offense going. Instead of trying to make ESPN highlight reel pass every time; he knows how to trust his coach’s game plan and trust in his teammate’s ability to create as well. This results in a quick flowing offense where he doesn’t need to dominate the ball and dribble it mindlessly without structure. In other words, he doesn’t overdo it, even though he could if he wanted too.

On the fast break, when he gets into the open court; he’s quite adept at getting the ball to the person who deserves it or the player who has the highest percentage shot, not every point guard does that. If you don’t stick him, he’s also athletic enough to jam it down your throat, so you have to respect him in the open court or you will get burned.

Many times, freshmen lack the outside jumper that is necessary to compete at the next level, but Tyshawn is shooting 48% from the field and although that’s inflated based on dunks and good shot selection; he has nice form as well. He also shoots 35% from the three point line and 70% from the free throw stripe; both numbers should increase as he continues to develop.

Defensively, he’s a hawk in the passing lanes, leading the Kansas squad in steals at 1.6 a game, and a lot of those pick pocket steals as he has very quick and accurate hands. He does all this while possessing good NBA size at 6”3 180 and size is something you can’t teach. His initiative on the defensive side of the ball is outstanding and his selflessness to pass the ball when he could score more makes him special.

Recruiting giant Draftexpress had Tyshawn listed as the 34th best incoming freshmen, but I think he’ll be a lottery pick when he decides to go to the pros as he has All Star written all over him.

Now here’s the best part about Tyshawn Taylor. The kid is a rock! Not only is he gifted with a basketball, but he knows how to defer and how to win, not only on the basketball court but in life. When he signed with Marquette, (He would later transfer to Kansas after Coach Tom Crean went to Indiana), he did an interview with scout.com where they asked him “Who the greatest influence in his life was?” and here’s his response. “My mother, Jeanette Taylor. No question. She has done everything for me. She hasn’t had the easiest life, having to provide for me and my sisters, but she does. I would have to add my two younger sisters to that answer too. I am the oldest of three, and when I look at my mom and my sisters, I know that everything. I do isn’t for me, everything I do is for my family.” I wish I was that mature at 18 years old.

In high school, he only averaged 10 points and 5 assists a game, but was on a team that was loaded in talent, so he made the players around him better. Lastly, while at St. Anthony’s he made the honor role every semester he was there. That doesn’t sound like a big deal but it is huge. NBA teams invest millions of dollars in their players as they are their assets and this kid is a great investment. So all of the experts are saying Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings and Stephon Curry are the point guards of choice; I’m saying add Tyshawn Taylor to that mix, because he belongs with the future lottery picks.