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We were able to talk with Oklahoma commit T.J. Taylor last week. Here is our report:
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The Sooners have not received a new commitment since April, but the excitement surrounding that commitment has continually grown over the past several months. Denison, Texas shooting guard T.J. Taylor has steadily made his move from virtual unknown to one of the nations elite guards.
The summer has not been all good news, though, for the small town star. After impressing onlookers in his first few tournaments with Team Texas over the AAU summer circuit, the show was cut short when he suffered a tough injury that left him on the sidelines watching.
"We (Team Texas) were playing in a local tournament against the Dallas Mustangs and it was an intense game," Taylor told OUHoops.com "My adrenaline was pumping on a fastbreak and LeBryan Nash and Keaton Miles were under the goal. I tried to put both of them in the rim, but unfortunately I missed the dunk and landed awkward.
"I knew it was broken when I hit the ground."
Not only has the injury slowed his momentum, but it has kept him from working on his game on a daily basis. And that is something Taylor simply is not used to missing.
"I haven't shot a ball in six weeks. I've been down since the doctor told me to stay off of it. He says it's healing fine, but I'll find out more when the cast comes off," Taylor said.
"Having this injury made me realize it is a great opportunity to play this game and to not take it for granted, because it can leave you at any given time."
"I'm just glad the cast is coming off tomorrow."
The cast will come off Monday (August 10th) and Taylor will get a chance to pick up where he left off, taking his game to another level.
"Everybody has forgetten who T.J. Taylor is and I like it that way," he said. "I'm gonna be a different player. I'll have a whole new game."
Taylor should be back to full strength by the time his school season kicks off on November 23rd against Little Elm. Not only will he be working to progress his game, but he will be working with a new head coach at Denison High School in Jody Bass.
Not only will he be learning a different system, but he may be asked to play a position unfamiliar to him.
"He told me I'll be playing in the post some," he said. "At first I didn't like that at all, but I'm just gonna roll with it. He's the coach so I'll do whatever he asks.
"Right now I'm the tallest player on the roster, but some of our guys from football said they may come back and play again. If they don't, though, I'll just roll with it."
With a new season rolling around there are high expectations for Taylor individually. Both from onlookers and from himself.
"I want to get 4,000 career points before the end of the season," he said. "I need 13 to get 3,000. And I want a championship ring for my senior year, just like Willie Warren did.
"The main thing I'm looking foward to is the Denison-Sherman game. I can't go down to them my senior year. I've won once against them and that's not enough for me."
Of course, the Denison-Sherman game pins two of the best players in Texas against one another in Cameron Clark and T.J. Taylor. The two have formed a good relationship between competing for years and playing this past AAU summer season on Team Texas.
Taylor doesn't feel like he has a grasp on the recruiting process of Clark, but he does have his own feelings about the Sooners chances.
"I believe coach has a great chance of landing Cam," he said. "He has a family member that coaches football up there. So, I know he's in his ear most likely."
The chances of landing Clark may not seem as strong as they did earlier this summer, but there is no question the Sooners remain in the hunt. Taylor has expressed his desires to play alongside Clark in front of the fans in Norman.
While his time on the court in Oklahoma is over one year away, it does not stop him from getting excited about officially becoming a Sooner.
"I love the fans," he said. "Tell them to rock the Lloyd Noble Center every game. They're amazing."
Taylor is a season away from Norman, but there is no question his heart has already taken up residency in the Sooner family.
**********
The Sooners have not received a new commitment since April, but the excitement surrounding that commitment has continually grown over the past several months. Denison, Texas shooting guard T.J. Taylor has steadily made his move from virtual unknown to one of the nations elite guards.
The summer has not been all good news, though, for the small town star. After impressing onlookers in his first few tournaments with Team Texas over the AAU summer circuit, the show was cut short when he suffered a tough injury that left him on the sidelines watching.
"We (Team Texas) were playing in a local tournament against the Dallas Mustangs and it was an intense game," Taylor told OUHoops.com "My adrenaline was pumping on a fastbreak and LeBryan Nash and Keaton Miles were under the goal. I tried to put both of them in the rim, but unfortunately I missed the dunk and landed awkward.
"I knew it was broken when I hit the ground."
Not only has the injury slowed his momentum, but it has kept him from working on his game on a daily basis. And that is something Taylor simply is not used to missing.
"I haven't shot a ball in six weeks. I've been down since the doctor told me to stay off of it. He says it's healing fine, but I'll find out more when the cast comes off," Taylor said.
"Having this injury made me realize it is a great opportunity to play this game and to not take it for granted, because it can leave you at any given time."
"I'm just glad the cast is coming off tomorrow."
The cast will come off Monday (August 10th) and Taylor will get a chance to pick up where he left off, taking his game to another level.
"Everybody has forgetten who T.J. Taylor is and I like it that way," he said. "I'm gonna be a different player. I'll have a whole new game."
Taylor should be back to full strength by the time his school season kicks off on November 23rd against Little Elm. Not only will he be working to progress his game, but he will be working with a new head coach at Denison High School in Jody Bass.
Not only will he be learning a different system, but he may be asked to play a position unfamiliar to him.
"He told me I'll be playing in the post some," he said. "At first I didn't like that at all, but I'm just gonna roll with it. He's the coach so I'll do whatever he asks.
"Right now I'm the tallest player on the roster, but some of our guys from football said they may come back and play again. If they don't, though, I'll just roll with it."
With a new season rolling around there are high expectations for Taylor individually. Both from onlookers and from himself.
"I want to get 4,000 career points before the end of the season," he said. "I need 13 to get 3,000. And I want a championship ring for my senior year, just like Willie Warren did.
"The main thing I'm looking foward to is the Denison-Sherman game. I can't go down to them my senior year. I've won once against them and that's not enough for me."
Of course, the Denison-Sherman game pins two of the best players in Texas against one another in Cameron Clark and T.J. Taylor. The two have formed a good relationship between competing for years and playing this past AAU summer season on Team Texas.
Taylor doesn't feel like he has a grasp on the recruiting process of Clark, but he does have his own feelings about the Sooners chances.
"I believe coach has a great chance of landing Cam," he said. "He has a family member that coaches football up there. So, I know he's in his ear most likely."
The chances of landing Clark may not seem as strong as they did earlier this summer, but there is no question the Sooners remain in the hunt. Taylor has expressed his desires to play alongside Clark in front of the fans in Norman.
While his time on the court in Oklahoma is over one year away, it does not stop him from getting excited about officially becoming a Sooner.
"I love the fans," he said. "Tell them to rock the Lloyd Noble Center every game. They're amazing."
Taylor is a season away from Norman, but there is no question his heart has already taken up residency in the Sooner family.
