Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976) is an Americans former professional basketball player. He played power forward and center positions. Originally from Detroit, Taylor played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 14th overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. Taylor played from 1997 to 2007 in the NBA for the Clippers, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Sacramento Kings. From 2009 to 2011, Taylor played internationally in Italy and China.
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 and that led to the University of Michigan basketball scandal. 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.
Professional career
NBA
In 1997, he was
NBA draft 14th overall by the Los 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 the
Orlando Magic to join newly acquired players
Grant Hill and
Tracy McGrady. No contract offer from Orlando ever came. He then signed with the
Houston Rockets instead. He was then traded to the New York Knicks in 2005, before joining the
Sacramento Kings in 2006. He was released on January 23, 2007.
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Europe
In January 2009, he joined the Italian
Euroleague club
Olimpia Milano.
[ Euroleague.net AJ Milano upgrades with Price, Taylor][ Maurice Taylor Signs Three-Year Deal With Milan ] He had not played since January 2007.
[ In February 2011 he signed with Enel Brindisi until the end of the season,][ Maurice Taylor firma per l'Enel Basket Brindisi ] but reached a consensual termination of the contract with the club in April 2011.[ Comunicato su Taylor ]
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. 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 2006 NIT Final Four.
Personal
Through his mother, Taylor is of Italian descent.[ L'Armani Jeans Milano ha tesserato Maurice Taylor ]
See also
-
List of people banned or suspended by the NBA
Notes
External links
