June 21, 2010
COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley announced today that Darius Taylor has joined her staff as an assistant coach. After spending two years working in the NBA Development League (NBADL), Taylor returns to the collegiate sidelines for his second stint as part of a Staley-led staff.
“I’m so excited to once again have Darius a part of our staff,” Staley said. “He will have an immediate impact, specifically working with our post game. Darius has always been an effective and relentless recruiter, and we expect him to have the same success here at the University of South Carolina.”
“I’m excited to be at South Carolina and to team with Coach Staley again,” Taylor said. “I’m ready to help her continue to build a tradition of winning and to help our players develop the life skills to be successful on and off the court.”
Taylor spent the last two years overseeing player development for the NBADL, working with players on personal, professional and social development. He developed a comprehensive educational program and one-on-one career counseling for players while overseeing all programming for off-court player development.
Prior to joining the NBADL, Taylor was on Staley’s staff at Temple for four seasons (2004-08). In his first collegiate coaching position he was enmeshed in the recruiting process as well as preparing scouting reports and video edits. Taylor also oversaw the academic progress of the team. During his tenure, the Owls posted a 98-33 record, including a pair of Atlantic 10 Tournament titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He worked closely with the Owls’ post players, including two-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Candice Dupree, who currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
Taylor worked with USA Basketball as the assistant director of competitive programs (2002-04) after serving as a team leader at the Chicago Bulls Basketball Schools (2000-02).
A four-year player for the University of Michigan, Taylor was a Big Ten Academic All-American en route to his bachelor of arts in sport management and communications (2000).
