2012 NBA Draft and Offseason Blog

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
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2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor Be a True NBA Point Guard? - June 14


Tyshawn Taylor helped lead the Kansas Jayhawks to the NCAA National Championship Game this past season. Though Kansas lost to Kentucky and fell short of cutting down the nets, a terrific senior campaign helped propel Taylor to possibly being a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. One of the biggest questions regarding the Jayhawks floor general is just that: Can he be a true point guard at the NBA level?

Heading into his senior season, Taylor needed to have a breakout campaign to help his draft stock. The one-time Marquette commit played a major role for Kansas in his freshman season, but suffered through back-to-back disappointing years as a sophomore and junior before busting loose in his final go-around in Lawrence.

"Once I look back on my career and my four years and this past year, we got so close with a team that nobody thought was any good at all," Taylor said at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. "To make it that far with a team kind of undersized, under-manned, with not a lot of talent; I think we exceeded a lot of expectations, some of our own. I think looking back on that; a great career. I lost one home game. I won about 130 games, lost like 12. I had a pretty good career. I'm happy the way I left off. I wish we could have got that last game. It's a bittersweet feeling, but I feel alright about it."



Taylor is hoping his career as a winner, dating back to his high school days at St. Anthony when his team finished 32-0 his senior season, will catch the attention of NBA teams during the pre-draft process. "I think it's proven in my basketball career, from the time I started playing that I'm a winner. I've been on all winning teams and I've been big parts of all of them. I don't think any team's questioning my competitiveness at all."

What teams might be questioning is his ability to be a true point guard at the next level. One of Taylor's biggest flaws at Kansas was his poor decision-making and tendency to try to force the issue. He averaged 3.5 turnovers per game and just 4.8 assists per game, which is rather alarming when compared to some other top point guards in this draft.

Still, Taylor has no doubt that he is capable of handling the point guard responsibilities in the NBA. "I think I can be somebody who can control the tempo, play fast," Taylor confidently stated. "I think the teams that are interested in me see me more as a point, but I'm also a guy that can play some two if needed, too, because I can defend both positions. I think that's how most teams see me. I just have to create havoc defensively and if I do that, I'll be fine."



What's not up for debate is Taylor's elite athleticism, explosiveness and size (he measured 6'4" in shoes at the Combine and also boasted one of the lowest body fat percentages of any player invited.) He is also a capable shooter having hit 38.2% of his triple tries last season.

Still, that's one of the areas he has been looking to improve the most the past few months. "I think I'm a pretty good shooter. I think I've been shooting the ball really well. It's something I've been working on a lot. I think I'm becoming more consistent at it."

Consistency as a shooter will help Taylor transition to the next level. However, it's proving that he can be a true point guard and consistently make smart decisions as a distributor that will allow him to possibly sneak him into the late first round and make the most of his NBA career.



Recent NBA Draft and Offseason Blog Entries:

James Harden Trade Analysis - 10/29
What Will the USA Basketball Team Look Like at 2016 Summer Olympics? - 8/15
Dwight Howard Trade Analysis - 8/10
Restricted 2013 NBA Free Agents - 7/29
Unrestricted 2013 NBA Free Agents - 7/28
2012 NBA Offseason Winners - 7/23
2012 NBA Offseason Losers - 7/21
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/13
Outstanding 2013 NBA Draft Trades - 7/12
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/10
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/6
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/4
Atlanta Hawks' Trades Recap - 7/3
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/2
2012 NBA Draft Winners - 6/30
2012 NBA Draft Losers - 6/30
NBA Trade Analysis - 6/28
NBA Trade Analysis - 6/27
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Perry Jones - More Risk or Reward? - 6/26
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: John Henson One of NBA Draft's Most Overrated Players - 6/25
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Vanderbilt to See Three Commodores Taken in NBA Draft - 6/22
Wizards-Hornets Trade Analysis - 6/21
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Doron Lamb: Stepping out of Kentucky Shadows into NBA Draft - 6/20
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Memphis' Will Barton Sneak into 1st round of 2012 NBA Draft? - 6/19
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Baylor's Quincy Miller Made a Mistake by Entering NBA Draft - 6/16
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Duke's Austin Rivers live up to the hype in the NBA? - 6/15
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor Be a True NBA Point Guard? - 6/14
2012 NBA Draft Lottery Odds Breakdown - 5/30
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Winners - 3/19
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Losers - 3/18
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Five Players Likely to Be Traded - 3/8
2012 NBA Draft Outstanding Trades - 12/25
NBA Offseason and Draft Blog - Home

Leave a comment Name Comment Verification: click on image to refresh it   John L. 07-07-2011 11:20 am xxx.xxx.xxx.140 (total posts: 2) 24     21 You forgot the most likely - Pau Gasol. The Lakers know they need to make a move, and Gasol wants out. Don't be shocked when he's sent to an Eastern Conference team like Atlanta or Orlando. Dave 07-07-2011 09:23 am xxx.xxx.xxx.159 (total posts: 2) 21     21 I don't quite completely understand. If the team cuts a player, and still has to pay the player's salary, what's the point of it? nycsportzfan 07-07-2011 05:44 am xxx.xxx.xxx.134 (total posts: 1) 25     22 I think it would be wise for the knicks to look into trying to obtain Chris Kaman, and going way of hte Mavericks and builidng like that.. Give em Landry Fields and toney douglas, and then u got Melo, Amare, Kaman, Billups, Shumpert, re-sign Shawne Williams, Turiaf, harrelson, re-sign ant carter, sign Deshawn Stevenson, rautins, and re-sign bill walker..THen u have more money after the season as well.. Kaman Amare Melo Shumpert Billups Shawne Williams(re-signed Turiaf Deshawn Stevenson(sign) Harrelson Ant Carter(re-sign) Rautins Bill Walker(re-sign) jgardner12 07-02-2011 01:21 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.37 (total posts: 2) 21     21 Ahh did not know that part of the rule, thanks for clearing that up for me. David Kay 07-01-2011 04:51 pm xxx.xxx.xxx5.17 (total posts: 1) 20     21 @jgardner12 The rule in 2005 stated a team cannot re-sign the player they cut... which is why I would be hesitant to cut Johnson especially with Crawford a free agent, suddenly you have no shooting guard. @waltair I believe the fifth year has an option on it, so I should have stated three-years, $21 million guaranteed waltair 06-30-2011 02:56 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.199 (total posts: 3) 21     21 LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT waltair 06-30-2011 02:55 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.199 (total posts: 3) 25     20 outlaw has 4 year 28 mil on his contract jgardner12 06-30-2011 01:01 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.37 (total posts: 2) 30     21 While I understand staying loyal to your star, the hawks should defiantly use it on Johnson. JJ is a wonderful player and they want him in ATL but seriously the dude isn't worth it. I mean the money he has left is close to the amount that Wade took to stay in Miami.. Again while I understand the predicament a JJ led team isn't going to win anything so might as well admit your mistake of signing him and sign him if possible to a more in line contract.. Walter 06-30-2011 01:24 am xxx.xxx.xxx4.88 (total posts: 10) 22     22 @Dave - Now I do. The only Allen error was in the header, hence it was an editing mistake on my part. David spelled Allan correctly everywhere else. Dave 06-29-2011 04:59 pm xxx.xxx.xxx0.25 (total posts: 1) 21     20 You do know it's spelled A-L-L-A-N, right? Mile High 06-25-2011 11:20 am xxx.xxx.xxx.153 (total posts: 1) 21     21 the reason the Nuggets dealt Felton was because he wants to be a starter, which he will never be in Denver. Ty Lawson is the Franchise guard, and keeping Felton impedes his progress. Therefore, they traded Felton, a rising star with high value, for Miller, who will accept coming off the bench, plus they picked up Hamilton who they were targeting. Captain Obvious 06-24-2011 10:41 pm xxx.xxx.xxx2.25 (total posts: 1) 23     22 You said: "After Thursday evening, it will mark three years in a row that a point guard went first overall..." WTF happened to Blake Griffin??? LOL. waltair 06-21-2011 09:41 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.199 (total posts: 3) 23     23 waltare you need a cheif editor this is bad Walter 06-21-2011 01:43 am xxx.xxx.xxx4.88 (total posts: 10) 20     19 Thanks, Fitz. Fixed. Austin 06-19-2011 01:18 am xxx.xxx.xxx8.49 (total posts: 1) 19     21 If Leonard can prove he is capable of knocking down shots, the raptors might reach for him at five, he can provide the rebounding that their bigs, not pointing fingers but a seven foot i-tie, don't. It's a reach for sure, but it might be a good fit. He will also improve their abominable defense. Pages: 1 2 3 4 56 7

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