Graves Signs 2021 Guard Taylor Bigby
EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon women's basketball team has added another elite talent to its future plans after signing 2021 guard Taylor Bigby to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Kelly Graves announced on Wednesday.
The No. 29 ranked recruit in the nation according to espnW, Bigby is entering her senior season at Centennial High School in Las Vegas after a stellar junior season that saw her win Nevada Gatorade state player of the year honors. Bigby is also ranked No. 28 overall by Prospect Nation and No. 24 by ASGR.
On Tuesday, Bigby was named to the 50-player watch list for the 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy for High School Girls' Player of the Year.
"Taylor is a very talented guard with the ability to play all three positions," said Graves. "Her versatility, especially on the defensive end, will definitely make us a stronger unit. Taylor plays extremely hard, attacks the basket hard, and is elite in transition.
"Her unique skillset, her team-first attitude, her mental toughness and her winning past make her a perfect fit for our program."
?? ???????????????? ??@GoDucksKG has signed 2021 guard and top-25 recruit Taylor Bigby to a National Letter of Intent ??
Welcome to the family, Taylor! ????@taylor_bigby x #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/fue0Mb54iz
— Oregon Women's Basketball (@OregonWBB) November 11, 2020
A three-time Nevada state champion, Bigby swept state player of the year honors in 2020 while being named the MVP of the Northwest League and a first-team All-Southern Nevada selection. The Gatorade state player of the year was also a finalist for the national Gatorade player of the year award.
The 6-foot-1 Bigby led Centennial to a 24-6 record and a sixth-straight Class 4A state championship as a junior, averaging 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
"Taylor is a special talent and we are proud to been a part of her basketball journey," said Karen Weitz, Bigby's head coach at Centennial High School. "Her speed and quickness paired with her length makes her a tough matchup and is why she is one of the top guards in the country. Taylor's strong work ethic will allow her to continue to be one of the best moving forward."
Bigby was the USA Today Nevada player of the year, a first-team all-state selection and the co-MVP of the Northwest League as a sophomore in 2018-19.
An elite talent on the court, Bigby has also been a terrific student during her high school career with a 3.69 overall GPA.
"Taylor Bigby is a strong character, very coachable, highly skilled, athletic and smart basketball player," said Elbert Kinnebrew, Bigby's club coach. "Her excellent work ethic will allow her to thrive under coach Kelly Graves and the Oregon Ducks."