Tyshawn Taylor is headed home and achieving his dreams of playing pro basketball, all at the same time. The New Jersey native landed with the Brooklyn Nets last night in a trade during the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft that sent the Kansas point guard from the Portland Trailblazers to the Nets to help the young team secure help at the point.
For Taylor, it's a homecoming of sorts since he was born in Hoboken and played his high school ball at St. Anthony. Taylor was considered a fringe first round selection who could slide given the number of point guards in this draft, and he ended up going No. 41 overall to the Blazers. He was then sent to the Nets for cash considerations.
Nets general manager Billy King loved the pick and said it was a good spot to grab him considering where they had Taylor on their player rankings.
"We had him on our board pretty high," King said. "We were trying to get a young point guard that we could groom. We liked his pedigree and his ability to play in big games. Once we started to slide, we made the move to get him. We liked his overall play as a point guard and we think his best basketball is ahead of him. We like his decision making and his size. He knows what it takes to be successful. He's played with a lot of talented players in the past and that makes you a better player."
The Nets are the offseason's biggest free agent questions as well with Deron Williams potentially bolting for the Dallas Mavericks. If that happens, Taylor could earn some quick playing time for the Nets. If not, he'll get to learn behind one of the best in the NBA and bolster the position with youth and quickness.
Taylor was the second Kansas player to be selected. Thomas Robinson was the first at No. 5 overall to the Sacramento Kings.