Confirmed by a tweet from ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Fresno State junior guard Deshon Taylor has withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft and will be returning to school.
Fresno’s Deshon Taylor told ESPN he will withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) May 21, 2018
Taylor, a 6’ 2” guard from Riverside, California, averaged a stunning 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season for the 21-11 Bulldogs, who bowed out of the Mountain West Tournament in the quarterfinals to eventual conference champions, San Diego State. However, his NBA Draft prospectus was that of a likely un-drafted talent or a stretch to a late-second round pick.
If Taylor stayed in the draft, he would’ve likely had to compete for a spot on an NBA roster via the Summer League or pursued a professional opportunity overseas. Instead, his return secures his place as the top option for Fresno State’s new head coach Justin Hutson, a long-time San Diego State assistant coach. He’s also now solidified his spot as an early Mountain West Player of the Year candidate, as well.
Taylor had until May 30th to officially withdraw his name from the NBA Draft. The 2018 NBA Draft will take place on June 21st at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.