Taggart: Im Wide Open

With the high school seasons coming to a close very soon, colleges are looking to find an extra player to sign in the late period. And getting a 6-foot-11, 225 pound center isn’t a bad get either that is why Shawn Taggart of Mt. Zion (NC) has been the target of several schools this season. We caught up with the Richmond, VA native and discussed his plans.

“I’m wide open,” Taggart said about his recruitment. He told us that Clemson, DePaul, Georgia, Georgia State, Cincinnati, Florida and Wisconsin have all shown a lot of interest this season. Taggart visited DePaul back in the fall and is looking to make some more trips soon.

“I’ll take a look at everything at the end of the season and get four schools lined up that I want to visit but right now I’m just staying focused on winning and getting qualified,” Taggart said.

All of the schools he listed are taking a wait-and-see approach because Taggart is still in the process of getting things right in the classroom. He will retake the SAT in March.

On the court, Taggart is a big man that can run the floor and has a nice array of post moves. Defense, however, may be his biggest strength. The center blocks a lot of shots and knows how to use his length to his advantage. That continual improvement comes from the everyday rigors of practice.

“I’ve been working on my defense and trying to do things against big men on the offensive end,” Taggart said. “Going against Mohamed (Tangara) in practice everyday helps me become stronger with the ball and now I can step out and hit the midrange shot without any problems. I’m pretty comfortable out there.”

We had a chance to see him up close and personal over the weekend and came away impressed with his ability to run the floor, thrive as a defender – particularly as a rebounder that keeps the ball high – and finds the outlet for the fast break. He’s a long and lanky player that will add more muscle to his frame given the right system.