Hobbs grad Taylor selected 31st overall by Charlotte Bobcats

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

Hobbs grad Jeffery Taylor, seen with Vanderbilt during

the NCAA Tournament in Albuquerque, was drafted with

the first pick of the second round by Charlotte.

  Hard to believe it was just six years ago that a thin, shy 6-foot-7 Jeffery Taylor came to Hobbs from Sweden to play for the Eagles at legendary Tasker Arena - a place where his father and uncles once dominated.
  Now filled out and with four years of college under his belt, Taylor became an NBA draft pick when he was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats with the first pick of the second round of Thursday's NBA Draft.
  While his NBA destination isn't the best (the Bobcats set the record last season for the worst winning percentage in NBA history after going 7-59), Taylor has followed in the footsteps of his father Jeff, who was drafted in the second round of the 1982 NBA draft and played for Houston and Detroit.
  Many thought Taylor was going to be a late first-round pick, but he fell to the first pick of the second. The difference when it comes to being picked in the first or second round is teams must sign their first-round picks to a minimum two-year deal while second-round picks don't have to be signed – though Taylor, who led Hobbs to the 2008 Class 5A New Mexico state title – will definitely be signed.
  While Taylor's athleticism and defensive prowess isn't questions, many attribute his fall to what is his perceived as an inability to create his own shot or be a reliable perimeter shooter (despite dramatically improving his perimeter shooting his senior season).
  It should be fun watching Taylor attempt to prove his naysayers wrong. Read my full story on Taylor being drafted, including his uncle and Hobbs boys basketball assistant coach Vince Taylor's reaction, in Friday's Hobbs News-Sun at hobbsnews.com.