Celeste Taylor

Celeste Taylor is a talented American basketball player currently playing for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Sydney Flames in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). Her impressive collegiate career spanned across three prominent universities: Texas, Duke, and Ohio State, where she honed her abilities and prepared for the professional stage.

Celeste Taylor, hailing from Queens, New York, was born on June 20, 2001. Her remarkable athletic abilities were evident from a young age, showcasing her skills not only in basketball but also as an impressive softball player during her elementary school years. By seventh grade, she was already making waves on the varsity basketball team at Valley Stream South High School in Valley Stream, New York. The following year, she made a pivotal move to Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in Brookville, New York, where she quickly established herself as a starting player in her freshman year. By the time she reached her senior year, Celeste Taylor earned the prestigious title of New York Gatorade Player of the Year and was selected to participate in both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. In her last two years of high school, she was recognized as Newsday Long Island Player of the Year. A five-star recruit according to ESPN, she ultimately chose to continue her basketball journey at Texas, turning down offers from elite programs such as Stanford, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and South Carolina.

As a freshman at Texas, Celeste Taylor made a significant impact on the court, averaging 9.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg, while also leading her team with an impressive 31 three-pointers. Her outstanding performance earned her a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. During her sophomore year, she elevated her game further, posting averages of 12.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 2.1 spg, which garnered her an honorable mention in the All-Big 12 selections.

In her junior year, Celeste Taylor made the decision to transfer to Duke, where she continued to shine, averaging 11 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 2.1 apg. Her senior season was particularly remarkable, as she was honored as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year and named to the first team of the All-ACC, while averaging 11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 spg. Notably, she set a program record with 10 steals in a second-round NCAA tournament loss to Colorado in 2023. For her fifth season, Taylor transferred to Ohio State, looking to further her collegiate career.

On April 15, 2024, Celeste Taylor was chosen as the fifteenth overall pick in the second round of the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. She successfully made the team and participated in five games before being released on June 25, 2024.

Following her time with the Fever, Celeste signed a seven-day contract with the Phoenix Mercury on July 12, 2024, and later joined the Connecticut Sun on another seven-day contract on August 16, 2024. After playing two games with the Sun, she returned to the Mercury on August 23, 2024, signing a second seven-day contract. A week later, she secured a third seven-day contract, which ultimately led to a rest-of-season contract with the Mercury. Throughout her two periods with Phoenix, Celeste proved to be an essential contributor, participating in 15 regular-season games, starting in four, and averaging 20 minutes of playtime per game.

Meanwhile, Celeste Taylor, a standout player for the United States national under-16 team, earned a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women’s Americas Championship in Argentina. She started all five games, averaging 4.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg. The following year, she represented the U.S. at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Belarus, where she helped her team capture another gold medal while contributing 6.1 ppg and 4.1 prg. In 2019, Taylor won her third gold with the national under-19 squad at the FIBA Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Thailand, averaging 5 ppg and 2.6 rpg.