Penn State Basketball: Brandon Taylor Works Out for 76ers

By David Abruzzese

Former Penn State men’s basketball standout Brandon Taylor was among the handful of college players invited to workout in front of numerous high-ranking Philadelphia 76ers front office members, including general manager Bryan Coangelo. Some other notables from Tuesday morning’s workout include former Oregon State star Gary Payton II and former Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis.

According to those in attendance, Taylor had a solid performance. Never one to create his own shot, he struggled a bit shooting the ball, but provided his usual all-around intensity on the glass and as a facilitator.

Taylor, who is a fringe candidate in this week’s NBA Draft, needs to turn some heads in order to convince a team to call his name on draft night. The 6-foot-6 swingman might just be realizing his potential after undergoing significant development year-to-year during his tenure in Happy Valley. His senior season turned out to be his most prolific; Taylor nearly doubled his average points per game finishing with 16.3, and saw his rebound totals hike as Pat Chambers placed more responsibility on his shoulders.

“[The workout] was a great experience for me. I grew up watching the Sixers play,” Taylor said to Sixers beat writer Tom Moore. Taylor’s workout served as the undercard to consensus No. 1 pick Ben Simmons from LSU, who privately worked for the team. While Taylor doesn’t have Simmons’ luxury as a lock to hear his name called on Thursday night, he could certainly be an attractive option for teams in need of a versatile winger with the ability to connect from deep and a nose for the glass down low.

Taylor figures to sign on with a team for Summer League competition, but if offers remain sparse, he could make the jump to Europe professionally — similar to the jump D.J. Newbill took last season in France.

The 2016 NBA Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 23.