The day before the 2024 WNBA Draft, future second-round pick Celeste Taylor was with us at SLAM HQ, reminiscing about her childhood memories of going to New York Liberty games with her dad. It was during those moments when she got to see legends, champions and MVPs like Sugar Rodgers, Essence Carson, Cappie Pondexter and Tina Charles, and, as a ball girl, got the chance to rebound for Skylar Diggins-Smith and Candace Parker when they came to town.
“I think that is a lot of where I found a love for the game,” Taylor tells us. “Just seeing them compete and get after it every night–as I got older, [it was] Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray. [I was] able to see women be really successful in their profession.”
For Taylor, the reality that she’s playing in the same League as those she’s always admired is surreal. The former 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year–who averaged 10.1 points and 3.4 assists after transferring to Ohio State for her fifth year–knows she has a lot to learn if she wants to elevate her game at the next level. “The first thing that comes to mind is just how crazy it is, and how crazy it will be to see people that you saw playing when you were little right in front of you. To either be playing next to them or against them, I mean, it’s just really exciting and cool, honestly.”
When asked if she’s ready to hold her own, Taylor doesn’t hesitate. “I am.”
Photos via Getty Images. Portrait by Evan Bernstein.
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