From 2008 to 2012, Tyshawn Taylor helped lead Kansas basketball to Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles and an NCAA championship.
Taylor spent time in the NBA and overseas, but little did he know that basketball would lead him back to Lawrence years later in a different capacity.
After stints in the NBA and overseas, Taylor knew his playing career was coming to an end in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Lawrence has always been a second home, all my children were born here,” Taylor said. “So when I finished playing, I came back to be closer to my youngest son, and I never left.”
Taylor knew that even after his career was over, he wanted to stay around basketball, and it made sense to get into coaching younger generations as a way to give back what the game had given to him. So he started Taylor Made Hoops in 2020, training a couple of kids in the fundamentals of basketball at Bishop Seabury Academy’s basketball gym, and that led to him coaching third- and fourth-graders to this day.
“I’ve been fortunate to have been coached by some of the greatest coaches,” Taylor said. “Most of the lessons that I’m implementing come from the core foundation that I’ve gained from these great coaches.”
Since then, Taylor and Bishop Seabury have grown their relationship on the basketball court.
Taylor started as an assistant coach for the basketball team at Seabury this past season, now that his son Quintin Taylor is the starting point guard on the varsity team. Developing relationships at Seabury over the last few years has allowed him to host his training sessions there and also help guide and mentor those at the high school level who want to take the next step in improving their game.
Brian Rios, director of athletics at Bishop Seabury, said that the partnership between the school and Taylor has been great over the years because of his involvement with club teams in Lawrence.
“Tyshawn is a great coach and has many different areas where he is mentoring and improving the basketball game of many in this area,” Rios said in an email.
Rios said that Taylor has made the players at Bishop Seabury more well rounded, and added that Taylor is a huge asset to the Lawrence community and to the game of basketball because of his technical vision of the game on the court.
“He is extremely knowledgeable about all facets of the game while still being able to translate the high level game knowledge to the level of a high schooler,” Rios said.
Taylor said that the support from Bishop Seabury and the community drives him to continue to share what he has learned playing at the highest levels with those with the same aspirations.
“Tyshawn will have a coaching position at Seabury,” Rios said, “and if the head coaching position were to open up, he would be at the top of the list to take that position.”
Rios said that the current coaching staff at Seabury is open to sharing ideas and making each other better, and Taylor has been a great asset to the school and the community. Taylor, for his part, is grateful to the Lawrence community for embracing him and allowing him to work with so many children and families during his return.
“I’ve built relationships with a lot of families and reconnected with so many people,” Taylor said. “It’s been amazing.”
KU coach Bill Self praised Taylor’s return to Lawrence and his investment in younger athletes.
“To me, Tyshawn is a great success story because he came here, had a terrific career, had a stint in the NBA, and now he is spending a vast majority of his time working with the youth and being a mentor,” Self said in an email. “I’m proud of him, and I honestly believe that it won’t be long until Tyshawn is coaching at a college level or even maybe at the professional level soon.”
Self stated that while Taylor was playing at Kansas, he didn’t initially see coaching potential in him because he could make plays one couldn’t coach but also made plays like he had never been coached before.
“Seeing his growth in maturity, I envision him becoming an outstanding coach,” Self says now.
Taylor says the game is the game, so he is training everybody like they are trying to get to the pros and understands that everyone is at a different level.
“My energy, intensity, and attention to detail is just like a college coach or NBA coaches would be,” Taylor said.
He has enjoyed his time back in Lawrence, but Taylor admits he doesn’t know how much longer he will be here.
“I’ve been here already a lot longer than I’ve planned to be initially, so who knows?” Taylor said.
Whether Taylor decides to continue to grow his Taylor Made Hoops work in Lawrence or elsewhere, it’s clear he will continue to focus on helping train the next wave of basketball players and leaders to come.
