Tyshawn Taylor commits to MUTyshawn Taylor, a 6-foot-3 1/2-inch combination guard from St. Anthony's in Jersey City, N.J., has given an oral commitment to play at MU next season, he said on Monday night.
Taylor committed just a day after returning from an official visit to MU over the weekend.
"I felt like I've been knowing where I've wanted to go like since Saturday, Sunday night" he said. "I just wanted to come home and get my coach's blessings and my family's blessings, and I got that. So I feel refreshed and comfortable now, and I know I made the right choice."
A native of Hoboken, N.J. who now lives in Jersey City, Taylor had scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Kansas, and had been offered a scholarship by North Carolina last Thursday. Prior to visiting MU, he had also visited Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.
Ultimately, though, he said he felt most at home at MU for a number of reasons.
"It's definitely a basketball school. You don't find too many colleges without a football team," he said. "That's cool to me. The coaching staff is unbelievable. I love the coaching staff. I love them a lot. The basketball at the school is at a high level, and I'm used to playing at a high level at my high school. Marquette plays just like my high school, so I feel like it's not that big of a transition from high school to college playing ball because I'm used to playing that style."
The fact Taylor would be able to play in front of his family and friends at least a few times each season in the Big East was also a factor in his decision.
"Before it wasn't a big factor, but when you think about it, it's always good" he said. "My mother's my biggest cheerleader, so she's going to want to be at all my games. And the more games she comes to, the more comfortable I will feel. It's a definite plus."
Taylor informed Buzz Williams of his commitment in person Monday at St. Anthony's, news that prompted a hug from MU's newest assistant. Taylor then called coach Tom Crean shortly thereafter and left him a message on his cell phone.
Taylor said he believes he'll be primarily a point guard at MU. He hadn't played the position until a few summers ago, when he made the switch from off-guard over the summer.
"I think my strength is being a team player. I love feeding my teammates and I love winning. I'm a winner" he said when asked to list his strengths. "I play every game no matter what it is. I play every game to win. I need some work on my shooting; I can get better at that. It has gotten better, but I can get even better. That's what I'm going to work on a lot before I go to school there. Coach Crean said he's going to work on it a lot with me."
Once he arrives at MU, Taylor could encounter a crowded spot at point guard. Dominic James could decide to return for his senior season, while Maurice Acker, David Cubillan and even Scott Christopherson could also be in the mix.
"I'm a competitor. I compete. I'm definitely going to earn my playing time. Anything I get is going to be earned," he said. "I'm definitely confident that my playing time is going to be there. If I didn't think I could play, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I definitely do think I can play and be a contributor."'
Taylor is the highest-profile East Coast recruit to commit to MU during Crean's tenure, and he comes from a school in St. Anthony's and a coach in Bob Hurley that turn out Division I players with regularity.
"Coach Hurley just wanted what was best for me," said Taylor. "He told me all the places I had, I couldn't really go wrong. Some teams are better than others but you can't really have a bad one out of the bunch. He just wanted me to be happy. I told him I wanted to go to Marquette and that I knew that was where I wanted to be, and he gave me his blessing."
Junior forward Dwight Burke and sophomore guard David Cubillan both played for Hurley's son, Danny, at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J.
http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2007/10/29/tyshawn-taylor-commits-to-mu.aspx
