Anthony Taylor 6’4 200 2021 Churchland High School, Portsmouth VA
Anthony is a strong, physical and athletic wing who can both stretch and shrink the floor. As his body has matured and trimmed down he has become more of a perimeter threat while still maintaining a strong, physical frame that has allowed him to be a solid presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Around the rim, Anthony uses his sturdy and bulky frame to fight for space and to seal and post up opponents. He has a soft touch around the rim for finishes and possesses very good footwork.
Anthony has good jumping ability and is amazingly agile and quick off his feet for rebounds and to contest shots. He is quick enough to hedge ball screens and to step out and defend other forwards on the wing. He is a formidable threat beyond the arc and converts three-pointers at a high percentage. Perhaps the strength in his impressive and versatile skill set is his ability to knock down shots both from beyond the arc and off dribble pull-ups. He has sound shot mechanics and a fluid stroke.
Anthony’s versatility is coming into focus more as he continues to trim down demonstrating pretty good quickness and allowing him to become a more effective scorer off the bounce. He is showcasing the ability to create off the dribble and get to the rim or pull up and knock down shots. He is also a pretty good passer both from the post and on the drive. Anthony can attack closeouts off the dribble and when he gets into the paint he can both finish and pass. He has the ability to take closing defenders off the dribble and shows a solid handle using crossovers, the ability to pull up and hit the stop and pop jumper and also create separation with step-back jumpers.
Defensively he has solid footwork and lateral mobility. At 200 pounds with nimble feet he can defend opposing bigs and step out to contest shots. Anthony has really made great strides over the past year and continues to show something new almost every time you watch him play. His upside is really off the charts. He is fast becoming a game-changer and should enjoy a breakout 2020 season!