Scouting Report: Kameron Taylor
Kameron Taylor is grinding his way up. Just a few years ago he played in second and even in third German league but now he is proving that he can play on a higher level too. This season he is one of the most important players in Hamburg and amongst the best players in the German league.
BACKGROUND INFO
Position: SG/SF
Height: 197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Date of Birth: 5/10/1994
Nationality: American
Previous clubs:
2016–17 Erdgas Ehingen
2017 Dragons Rhöndorf
2018 Baskets Würzburg
2018–19 Pecsi VSK Veolia
2019–20 Baskets Bamberg
Played for Seton Hill in NCAA and was putting some good numbers there. He started his career in German 2nd League (ProA) where he played for Erdgas Ehingen. After that season he joined Dragons Rhöndorf in German 3rd League but finished that season playing for Würzburg in BBL. In 18/19 season he played in Hungary for PVSK Veolia and was amongst the best players in the Hungarian league. Last season he played for Baskets Bamberg in German BBL and Basketbal Champions League.
VIDEO REPORT:
OFFENSE
Shooting: He is showing improvements in this area year after year. This season he is shooting around 35 % behind the three point line and I think he can stay there or even improve for a percent or two. His release is pretty smooth and can sink shots in spot up and also in off screen situations. So far not the best with his off the dribble shots and way more efficient as a catch and shoot shooter.
Slashing: Kam has great athletic tools, an explosive first step and with his long strides he gets to the rim pretty easily. His driving angles are sharp and likes to go straight to the rim. Even though his upper body isn’t the strongest he still can absorb and finish under some contact but has a great ability to draw some fouls and go to the free throw line. More dangerous if he gets an advantage with a screen but can also attack from a stand still position. His handles are average and can sometimes have a hard time beating the defense in isolation and in my opinion he has some room to improve in his on ball offense to become an even better slasher.
Passing: Kameron is usually also having some very good assist numbers for a player his position. In Hamburg he plays a lot with the ball in his hands and facilitates the offense and so far he is doing his job well. Has good court vision and passing game, can deliver some advance whip passes while also delivering some nice pocket assists in pick & roll actions.
Would not put him in the main playmaker bucket and a player that could run the playmaker duties for a long time but definitely can be used as a secondary playmaker that can create some stuff for others on a higher level too.
Cutting & Court Awareness: Has great feel for cuts and scores a lot of easy points at the rim that way. Also moves good around the screens and can create a step or two of separation from his defender. His great court awareness is probably best seen in his offensive rebounding where he has a great feel where the ball is going and is usually there at the right time.
Transition: An area where he could use his athleticism better is in my opinion his transition game. He moves fluidly even when he is handling the ball and with his speed he would be really hard to stop in transition. He gets a lot of defensive rebounds and steals and should push the ball forward and look for some points in transition more often.
DEFENSE
Even though he has a lot of strengths in offense and is one of the best scorers in German league, I think his defensive game is on an even higher level at the moment.
Perimeter Defense: A pesky defender that moves his feet really well, very short and quick movements and can put the pressure on the ball handler. Versatile and can defend basically all positions on perimeter. With his long and quick hands he can also make some pocket steals but more on that later.
Pick & Roll Defense: A lot of the time he is defending the player that is facilitating the pick & roll and Kameron is doing a good job in defense. With his good footwork he maneuvers around screens smoothly and his thin frame also helps him a lot and he can find some small holes and get around screens. In my opinion, he has the tools to defend pick & rolls at the highest level.
Steals: I already mentioned his ability to go for pocket steals with his long and quick hands but the story doesn’t end here. He reads the offense really well and makes a lot of deflections and interceptions too. Elite level anticipation and he is one of the best in this aspect that I’ve seen so far this season.
Blocks: His rotations are usually on point and has a great timing for blocks from the weak side. WIth his length and athleticism he can contest most of the shots and blocked even some players that are way taller than him. Not many players have that kind of awareness and timing and definitely one of his main qualities that could be very useful in most teams.
Rebounding: His anticipation, timing and awareness from other areas translate to rebounding too. He grabs a lot of rebounds for a guard/wing and goes for them actively. With his explosive vertical pop he can battle for rebounds even with bigger and stronger guys.
SUMMARY
Kameron Taylor has the potential for international competitions. His off ball offense is on a really high level and with some minor improvements in his on-ball offense, Kam could become a great all around offensive package. His defense is on a high level already and has elite instincts and awareness.
An interesting two way guard/wing that could be useful in many teams, maybe even on the highest level in Europe.
