The day earlier than the 2024 WNBA Draft, future second-round decide Celeste Taylor was with us at SLAM HQ, reminiscing about her childhood recollections of going to New York Liberty video games along with her dad. It was throughout these moments when she acquired to see legends, champions and MVPs like Sugar Rodgers, Essence Carson, Cappie Pondexter and Tina Charles, and, as a ball woman, acquired the possibility to rebound for Skylar Diggins-Smith and Candace Parker once they got here to city.
“I believe that’s plenty of the place I discovered a love for the sport,” Taylor tells us. “Simply seeing them compete and get after it each evening–as I acquired older, [it was] Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Grey. [I was] capable of see ladies be actually profitable of their occupation.”
For Taylor, the fact that she’s enjoying in the identical League as these she’s all the time admired is surreal. The previous 2023 ACC Defensive Participant of the Yr–who averaged 10.1 factors and three.4 assists after transferring to Ohio State for her fifth 12 months–is aware of she has lots to study if she needs to raise her recreation on the subsequent stage. “The very first thing that involves thoughts is simply how loopy it’s, and the way loopy it is going to be to see individuals that you just noticed enjoying whenever you had been little proper in entrance of you. To both be enjoying subsequent to them or in opposition to them, I imply, it’s simply actually thrilling and funky, truthfully.”
When requested if she’s prepared to carry her personal, Taylor doesn’t hesitate. “I’m.”
Photographs through Getty Photos. Portrait by Evan Bernstein.
