Maurice Taylor

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Maurice Taylor
Position Power forward
Height 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Weight 265 lb (120 kg)
Nationality Flag of United States United States
Born October 30, 1976
Detroit, Michigan
College Michigan
Draft 14th overall, 1997
Los Angeles Clippers
Pro career 1997–present
Former teams Los Angeles Clippers (1997–2000)
Houston Rockets (2000–2005)
New York Knicks (2005–2006)
Sacramento Kings (2006–2007)
Awards 1997-98 Schick All-Rookie Second Team

Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player at the power forward position. He was most recently with the NBA's Sacramento Kings, released on January 23, 2007.[1]

Contents

[edit] College career

Taylor attended the University of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994 Maui Invitational with fellow freshman Maceo Baston. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the 1994-1995 season, averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds and playing in the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore he averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds and was picked 2nd Team All-Big Ten. Off the court that year, Taylor was involved in a traffic accident while out with potential recruit Mateen Cleaves that left teammate Robert Traylor with a broken arm. After considering entering the NBA draft, Taylor returned to help lead a talented (if underachieving) Michigan team to the 1997 NIT Championship while averaging 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds.

[edit] Professional career

In 1997, he was drafted 14th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. He signed with the Houston Rockets in 2001 and was then traded to the New York Knicks in 2005, before joining the Sacramento Kings in 2006.[2]

Taylor is a big, semi-athletic and has a decent mid-range shooting touch. After starting his NBA career in a promising fashion, his numbers have slipped, and he has developed a reputation for being an underachiever. He averaged 17 points per game and 6.5 rebounds in the 1999-2000 NBA season, but now he is averaging about 6 points per game and 3.5 rebounds.

[edit] Booster scandal

Years after the completion of his college career, Taylor, along with several other Michigan stars, was accused of taking money from booster Ed Martin which somewhat tarnished his college achievements. Due to concerns that Taylor's amateur status had been compromised, Michigan forfeited every game in which Taylor played, and scrubbed his records from its record books. He was also barred from attending Michigan home basketball games until 2012.

However, he was in the stands in New York with another former Wolverine, Jalen Rose, to support the team during the 2006 NIT Final Four.

[edit] Personal

Taylor has a five-year-old son named Maurice Jr.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-kings-taylor&prov=ap&type=lgns
  2. ^ http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/15671236.htm

[edit] External links


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