Orlando Magic Daily
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2017 Central Florida 85 Nos. 1-17: The Best of the Best

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - AUGUST 31: UCF mascot Knightro takes the field before the football game between the visiting FIU Panthers and the UCF Knights on August 31, 2017 at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando FL. (Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - AUGUST 31: UCF mascot Knightro takes the field before the football game between the visiting FIU Panthers and the UCF Knights on August 31, 2017 at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando FL. (Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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B.J. Taylor, UCF Knights, SMU Mustangs
HARTFORD, CT – MARCH 11: B.J. Taylor #1 of the UCF Knights dribbles against Shake Milton #1 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the semifinal round of the AAC Basketball Tournament at the XL Center on March 11, 2017 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

17. B.J. Taylor, UCF Knights

When B.J. Taylor took the court last year, he probably was not 100 percent sure whether he would be the same. Taylor missed the entirety of his sophomore year with a foot injury that never cleared up. He returned to the team with a new head coach and having to learn how to play with the 7-foot-6 show that is Tacko Fall.

Before all that, though, Taylor was a dynamic scoring guard. He looked like the clear future for the Knights. And his future was incredibly bright. It seemed like he could only grow.

The injury derailed things.

But Taylor picked up right where he left off last year. It was like he did not miss a beat. Taylor averaged 17.4 points per game and shot 41.4 percent from the floor. He was the typical high-usage driver that every team needs.

Fall might be the main attraction, but Taylor is the guy who actually makes the team go. He is the one who scores when the team needs it. There is no NIT championship game without Taylor’s scoring ability.

In fact, in the NIT, Taylor averaged 18.8 points per game. That included games of 26 and 22 points for the Knights.

Taylor definitely has to increase his efficiency in his junior year. The Knights relied heavily on their defense last year while their offense was always seemingly wanting. But Taylor is a star player. At least, at the college level.