 Taylor with theNew York Knicks in 2006 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1976-10-30)October 30, 1976 (age 49) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Henry Ford (Detroit, Michigan) |
| College | Michigan (1994–1997) |
| NBA draft | 1997: 1st round, 14th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Playing career | 1997–2011 |
| Position | Power forward /center |
| Number | 23, 2, 24 |
| Career history | |
| 1997–2000 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2000–2005 | Houston Rockets |
| 2005–2006 | New York Knicks |
| 2006–2007 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2009 | Olimpia Milano |
| 2009–2010 | Shanxi Zhongyu |
| 2010 | Benetton Treviso |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976) is an American former professionalbasketball player. He playedpower forward andcenter positions. Originally fromDetroit, Taylor playedcollege basketball for theMichigan Wolverines and was selected by theLos Angeles Clippers as the 14th overall pick in the1997 NBA draft. Taylor played from 1997 to 2007 in theNBA for the Clippers,Houston Rockets,New York Knicks, andSacramento Kings. From 2009 to 2011, Taylor played internationally in Italy and China.
Taylor attended theUniversity of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School inDetroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994Maui Invitational with fellow freshmanMaceo Baston. He wonBig Ten Freshman of the Year for the 1994–1995 season, averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds and playing in theNCAA 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 recruitMateen Cleaves that left teammateRobert Traylor with a broken arm and that led to theUniversity of Michigan basketball scandal. After considering entering theNBA draft, Taylor returned to help lead a talented (if underachieving) Michigan team to the 1997NIT Championship while averaging 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds.
In1997, he wasdrafted 14th overall by theLos Angeles Clippers. In 2000, Taylor told the Clippers he would not re-sign with them in free agency or accept any sign-and-trade situations. When he became a free agent, Taylor announced his intention of hoping to sign with theOrlando Magic to join newly acquired playersGrant Hill andTracy McGrady. No contract offer from Orlando ever came. He then signed with theHouston Rockets instead. He was then traded to theNew York Knicks in 2005, before joining theSacramento Kings in 2006. He was released on January 23, 2007.[1]
In January 2009, he joined theItalianEuroleague clubOlimpia Milano.[2][3] He had not played since January 2007.[2] In February 2011 he signed withEnel Brindisi until the end of the season,[4] but reached a consensual termination of the contract with the club in April 2011.[5]
Years after the completion of his college career, Taylor, along with several other Michigan stars, was accused of taking money from booster Ed Martin. 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. The school was also forced to disassociate itself from Taylor until 2012.
However, he was in the stands in New York with another former Wolverine,Jalen Rose, to support the team during the 2006NIT Final Four.
Through his mother, Taylor is of Italian descent.[6]
