On Tuesday evening, Lucas Taylor announced his commitment to Syracuse University. The Raleigh native spent two years at Wake Forest and one season at Georgia State before ultimately choosing the Orange over TCU and Florida State. So, what is Taylor’s outlook and what does he expect to bring to the table' First, let’s take a closer look at his identity as a player and path up to this point.
Coming out of high school, Taylor received a total of 30 offers before selecting Wake Forest. It’s easy to see why he was so highly touted being a 6-foot-5 athletic shot-maker. However, his two seasons for the Demon Deacons didn’t lead to many opportunities, as he only appeared in 27 games (188 minutes played) during that span. Shortly thereafter, he decided to hit the transfer portal—eventually opting for a fresh start at Georgia State.
It didn’t take long for Taylor to integrate himself with the Panthers, as he started in 30 of 31 contests while posting per-game averages of 14.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.8 APG with 40/35/79 splits. In addition to his six 20-point performances, he also ranked within the top ten of seven different statistical categories across the Sun Belt. Between his scoring ability and the fact that Syracuse lost multiple key pieces, it should be a seamless fit. We spoke to Taylor regarding his new endeavor…
JB: What ultimately led to your decision to commit to Syracuse'
LT: Having the opportunity to compete at the highest level for my senior year.
JB: Who was the point of contact during your recruiting process'
LT: Coach Straughn, Coach Dan, and Coach Red.
JB: How do you envision your role or what you’ll bring to the team'
LT: I feel like I can be a playmaker given the talent on the team, or a guy who can score.
JB: What are your expectations for the upcoming season'
LT: Definitely to make a tournament run. A whole lot of winning.