Darius Taylor

Darius Taylor
Connecticut Sun
PositionChief Basketball Strategist and Director of Scouting
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1978-10-02) October 2, 1978 (age 46)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolLake View
(Lake View, Chicago, Illinois)
CollegeMichigan (1996–2000)
PositionSmall forward / point guard
Coaching career2004–2015, 2017–present
Career history
As coach:
2004–2010Temple (assistant)
2010–2015South Carolina (assistant)
2017–2021Atlanta Dream (assistant)
2021Atlanta Dream (interim)

Darius Taylor (born October 2, 1978) is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the Chief Basketball Strategist and Director of Scouting of the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Career

Taylor began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Temple in 2004 under Dawn Staley. He was later an assistant coach at South Carolina, also under Staley. He left South Carolina in 2015 after his fiancée Joni Taylor was named the head coach at Georgia.[1]

Atlanta Dream

Taylor was named an assistant coach for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA on December 27, 2017.[2] He was named interim head coach on July 24, 2021 after previous interim head coach Mike Petersen resigned due to health issues.[3]

Connecticut Sun

Taylor was named general manager of the Connecticut Sun on November 29, 2022.[4] On December 3, 2024, the Sun announced that Taylor would assume the new role of Chief Basketball Strategist and Director of Scouting.[5]

Personal life

Taylor's wife Joni is currently the head women's basketball coach at Texas A&M. The couple have two daughters, one born in 2016 and the other in 2019.[6]

Head coaching record

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
Atlanta 2021 13 2 11 .154 5th in Eastern — — — — Missed playoffs

References

  1. ^ "USC women's basketball lost Taylor to married life in Georgia". The State. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Atlanta Dream Round Out Coaching Staff with Darius Taylor". Atlanta Dream. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Mike Petersen resigns as Dream coach, Darius Taylor assumes role". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Darius Taylor Named Connecticut Sun General Manager". Connecticut Sun.
  5. ^ "Morgan Tuck Named Connecticut Sun General Manager". Connecticut Sun. 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  6. ^ "Joni Taylor gives birth to baby girl with season approaching". The Macon Telegraph. Retrieved 18 September 2021.