Former Tavares Star Bound for Houston

posted by eric on 30th, 2009

Story by Michael Harris

The high temperature in Houston on June 25th, the night of the NBA Draft, was 98 degrees and fell to the steamy low 80s at nightfall. It sounds much like the temperature it was at JJ Fin’s around 11 p.m. on the second floor deck.

While on that muggy deck, the cool and comfortable Jermaine Taylor was all smiles. Houston was his preferred choice – and, in essence, he got his wish.

Taylor is a former standout basketball player from Tavares High and a star from UCF. On Thursday evening he was selected as the 32nd player chosen – the second player in the second round – by the Washington Wizards of the NBA.

Just mere moments after being hounded by media, Taylor’s rights were traded to the Houston Rockets.

“I was happy I went to the Wizards, but once I got traded to Houston – I was really happy,” Jermaine said. “I had the perfect workout [for Houston]. I had a good time there so you know … and it’s warmer.”

Taylor, a shooting guard, averaged 26.2 points per game last season and averaged 29.1 points per game in Conference USA games. He also had an outstanding 81 percent accuracy from the free-throw line.

“Jermaine Taylor was one of the best scorers in college this past year,” said Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey on the Rockets’ Web site. “(He’s) very strong, can shoot, athletic – a guy that faced significant defensive attention by double and triple-teams, but played well when he played against top opponents. He’s a scorer. He’s a guy we can give the ball to and he can beat his man. He’s somebody who’s very hard to guard. We just feel like with Tracy McGrady where it was a little bit questionable at the start of the year; that offensive punch Jermaine can bring is a need we have.”

Jermaine also felt the same way about Houston saying, “I fit in their system so well.”

And being from Tavares, Jermaine fits into the city’s weather pattern better. The December average in Houston is 47 for the low. In Washington, that’s the average high temperature.

During the course of the evening aunts, uncles, cousins and of course Taylor’s mother Gwen displayed their nervousness as they bounced around from the second floor of the restaurant to the first floor. Sitting one spot and then transitioning to another, never really taking their eyes off the TV screen and the night’s events.

“I’m just so nervous right now,” his mother Gwen said. “I know this is something he’s always dreamed of.”

But Jermaine seemed beyond calm. On this night, he was already a celebrity before the draft got underway. As the Los Angeles Clippers were making the first pick, he was signing basketballs for kids. Later, somewhere around the 10th pick, he would sign the back of a JJ Fin’s server’s shirt. Kids followed him just about everywhere while family members stopped to talk to him.

And Jermaine soaked it all in.

The crowd erupted when his name was announced, and so did he.

“No one knew where I was going. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew I was going somewhere,” Jermaine said. “But my dream has been realized – what like five minutes ago?”