Jay Taylor (basketball)

Jay Taylor

Personal information
Born	October 3, 1967 Aurora, Illinois
Died	July 4, 1998(1998-07-04) (aged 30) Aurora, Illinois
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	East Aurora (Aurora, Illinois)
College	Eastern Illinois (1985–1989)
NBA draft	1989: undrafted
Playing career	1989–1994
Career history
1989–1990	New Jersey Nets
1989–1990	Wichita Falls Texans
1990–1991	Grand Rapids Hoops
1992–1993	Rochester Renegade
1992–1993	Oklahoma City Cavalry
1993–1994	Rockford Lightning
Career highlights and awards
Mid-Continent Player of the Year (1989) 2× First-team All-Mid-Continent (1988, 1989)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Cornellias F. "Jay" Taylor, Jr. (October 3, 1967 – July 4, 1998) was an American professional basketball player.

Taylor, a 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) guard from East Aurora High School in Aurora, Illinois, played college basketball at Eastern Illinois. He finished his career with 1,926 points and graduated as EIU's all-time leading scorer (since passed by Henry Domercant). In his senior year, he averaged 23.8 points per game and was named the 1989 The Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year.

Following his college career, Taylor was not drafted in the 1989 NBA Draft. However, he made the New Jersey Nets' roster and stuck with the team until December. He finished the season with the Wichita Falls Texans of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). Taylor played for four more years in the CBA - with the Grand Rapids Hoops, Rochester Renegade, Oklahoma City Cavalry and Rockford Lightning.

Taylor died in a house fire on July 4, 1998. He was inducted into the Eastern Illinois University athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.