Men's basketball adds transfer Zaire Taylor
Published Aug. 21, 2007
All but three of the 13 players on MU's men's basketball team are upperclassmen, and the backcourt will lose two of its key components when Jason Horton and Stefhon Hannah leave after next season. With that in mind, the Tigers strengthened themselves for 2008 and 2009 by adding transfer Zaire Taylor from the University of Delaware.
Taylor, a native of New York City, will sit out this season and will suit up as a junior in the fall of 2008.
Coach Mike Anderson said he was happy to announce the addition and lavished praise on Taylor.
"We are certainly happy to have Zaire come aboard," he stated Monday in a press release. "He gives us size and depth in the backcourt, along with versatility both offensively and defensively. We feel like he can develop into a defensive stopper for our program, a guy who can guard another team's top perimeter scorer."
In 14 games last season, Taylor averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Blue Hens, who play in the Colonial Athletic Association. He scored 30 points in Delaware's win against Loyola of Maryland last November.
Taylor was named to the CAA All-Freshmen team in 2005-06. He scored 22 points in his first career game against The Citadel, which was the best debut in Delaware history.
In a press release, Taylor thanked Anderson and assistant Melvin Watkins, who was retained from Quin Snyder's staff to help in recruiting. Snyder coached the MU men's basketball team from 1999-2006.
"It's a blessing that coach Anderson and coach Watkins gave me this opportunity," Taylor said. "They showed a lot of faith in me to help this basketball team and that's what I plan on doing. It's a great feeling to be on campus and be a Tiger."
Taylor is the first recruit to come from New York City since Derrick Chievous in 1984. Sophomore guard Keon Lawrence is from nearby Newark, N.J.