Analysis: What Syracuse is Getting in Justin Taylor
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Syracuse basketball picked up a big commitment on Saturday when priority shooting guard target Justin Taylor pledged Orange. Taylor has been Syracuse's top target in the 2022 class for about a year. Syracuse put considerable time and effort into this recruitment, so landing Taylor is a big, big deal for the program.
What exactly is Syracuse getting in Taylor? We spoke to SI All-American's Jason Jordan to get the expert scoop.
"What I love about Justin Taylor’s game is how versatile his skill set is," Jordan said. "He’s a marksman of a shooter but he’s almost as lethal on the drive. His size and length are tough to contend with and he competes at a high level. He’s strong physically, but I rate players higher for being tough and he’s tough. He's got Gordon Hayward potential."
Jordan continued.
"At the end of the day he's a shot maker," Jordan said. "He's just really crafty, not super athletic, but crafty in how he gets his shot off. What I like about him is he doesn't waste movement. He recognizes matchups very well. High basketball IQ type guy. But at the end of the day he's making shots on all three levels. He's going to get to the basket. Really thrives in one and two dribble pull-ups. He's great in the pick and pop. Just knows how to make shots, knows where to get to make shots. Uses his space well and really good with pace as well. I really like his game."
Syracuse has pitched to Taylor that he will be a replacement for Buddy Boeheim. A shot maker who is skilled off the dribble, can hit the mid-range jumper and is a better passer than he is given credit for, is the perfect player to take over the shooting guard spot when Buddy leaves. His length and intelligence also suggests he has potential at the top of the zone as well. This is a big get for Syracuse.