The day earlier than the 2024 WNBA Draft, future second-round decide Celeste Taylor was with us at SLAM HQ, reminiscing about her childhood reminiscences of going to New York Liberty video games along with her dad. It was throughout these moments when she obtained to see legends, champions and MVPs like Sugar Rodgers, Essence Carson, Cappie Pondexter and Tina Charles, and, as a ball woman, obtained the possibility to rebound for Skylar Diggins-Smith and Candace Parker after they got here to city.
“I feel that’s a number 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 obtained older, [it was] Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Grey. [I was] in a position to see ladies be actually profitable of their career.”
For Taylor, the fact that she’s taking part in in the identical League as these she’s at all times 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 be taught if she desires 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 folks that you simply noticed taking part in once you have been little proper in entrance of you. To both be taking part in subsequent to them or towards them, I imply, it’s simply actually thrilling and funky, actually.”
When requested if she’s prepared to carry her personal, Taylor doesn’t hesitate. “I’m.”
Photographs by way of Getty Photographs. Portrait by Evan Bernstein.
