Golden Eagles are getting a stud in 6'3" JUCO transfer
NEW YORK -- Buzz Williams has helped build a national powerhouse at Marquette in part by recruiting junior college players who slip under the radar.
Current stars Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder are both junior college products excelling for the No. 11 Golden Eagles (8-0).
With both players set to graduate this year, the next junior college star in the making at Marquette could be T.J. Taylor, a 6-4, 215-pound guard who will have three years of eligibility remaining after he arrives from Paris Junior College in Texas.
"He's a big guard that can shoot the ball, can play multiple positions," Paris coach Chuck Taylor told FiveStarBasketball.com. "He's really athletic. He's got a great frame."
Is T.J. good enough to take over the role of DJO, currently averaging 19.9 points, 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds?
"Yes, he has that type of potential," Chuck Taylor said. "Absolutely. He's averaging 16 [points] and 7 [rebounds]. I [have] four guys that average double-figures. He's our leading scorer."
T.J. Taylor is part of a four-man recruiting class that also includes 6-9 Houston center Aaron Durley, 6-3 Norfolk (Va.) shooting guard Jamal Ferguson and 6-7 Chicago small forward Steve Taylor.
That class should set Marquette up pretty well going forward.
"The roster is in the best shape since we've been here," Marquette assistant Aki Collins told Five Star.
A native of Denison (Texas) High, T.J. Taylor is the first player Williams ever signed from the county where he grew up.
Taylor was the Rivals No. 28 shooting guard in the Class of 2010.
He initially signed with Oklahoma out of high school and spent the first semester of the 2010-11 campaign with the Sooners, but did not play after missing time with a concussion.
Chuck Taylor said Williams and Marquette assistant Tony Benford did a great job of staying in touch with T.J. after he left Oklahoma.
"He's another switchable," Williams said. "He doesn't really have a position. He's like all our other guards, except for Junior [Cadougan] and Derrick [Wilson]. Just a good player, a guy that can pass, dribble and shoot. Has a Big East body. Can endure how you have to be able to guard in this league.
"But nobody knows who he is, so at some point he'll be another JUCO guy."
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