Can Celeste Taylor Anchor Ohio State To National Glory After Leaving Duke, Texas Behind?

Ohio State has resoundingly started its NCAA campaign. Currently ranked No.12 in the Big Ten Conference, the Buckeyes have faltered once in their opening 8 games. The locker room is filled with potential superstars who have the ability to deliver on the big stage. Amidst those is the 22-year-old guard from Queens, New York, Celeste Taylor.

The talented No.12 has been making headlines following her exhilarating display against the Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday. Consequently, she made quite a few heads turn when she was adjudged the Big Ten Player of the Week.

The Journey of Celeste Taylor

The 5 ft 11 in guard of the Ohio State Buckeyes spent her early days in New York where she played varsity basketball for the Valley Stream South High School. However, she moved to Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School and represented them as a fresher. In her senior year, Taylor’s immaculate skills won her the New York Gatorade Player of the Year. Following this, she got an opportunity to participate in the McDonald’s All-American Game and later she also got a chance in the Jordan Brand Classic. Furthermore, Celeste was awarded the Long Island Player of the Year by Newsday and was ESPN’s five-star recruit.

Celeste decided to join Texas in 2019 as a freshman and carried an average of  9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. In addition to this, she also secured 31 three-pointers to her name that season. As a result, the talented guard became the 2019 McDonald’s All-American. Taylor then decided to declare her commitment to the Blue Devils in 2021 to kick-start her junior season. Two years later, she won the 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an honorable mention in the ACC All-Defensive Team. Also, she created a record for most steals(10) in a single for Duke in their loss against Colorado.

Read More- Stepping Up and Stealing a Win With a Buzzer-Beater, Who Is the Falcon’s No.1 Amy Velasco?

Celeste took a pre-season transfer to Ohio State in 2023 and has made valuable contributions to the team’s success.

Celeste Taylor’s senior year

The Big Ten Player of the Week– Celeste Taylor–won her first conference award of the season after landing a double-double against Tennessee. She finished her night with 15 points and had 6 offensive rebounds out of her 12. Additionally, the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist had 3 assists along with 2 steals and 1 block. Taylor is having an effective outing with the basketball so far in the season. In her 8 games so far, she is averaging 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and maintains a 32.8 field goal percentage.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are chasing their first NCAA title this season. They have made a promising start to their campaign following a (7-1) record in the competition so far. There is no denying that Celeste has the potential to be a catalyst in Ohio’s journey to national glory. Fans will be hoping that she comes up with more impactful performances in the upcoming games.

Watch This Story: How Many NBA Stars Did Late Legend Bob Knight Coach?

What are your thoughts on Celeste Taylor? Let us know in the comments section.