Sydney Taylor (basketball)

Sydney Taylor
No. 12 – Chicago Sky
PositionGuard
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (2001-06-21) June 21, 2001
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
High schoolSt. Anthony's
(South Huntington, New York)
CollegeUMass (2019–2023)
Louisville (2023–2024)
Playing career2024–present
Career history
2024–2025Kibirkstis Vilnius
2025–2026MB Zagłębie Sosnowiec
2026–presentChicago Sky
2026–presentGalatasaray
Career highlights
  • First-team All-Atlantic 10 (2023)
  • Second-team All-Atlantic 10 (2022)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference 

Sydney Leah Taylor[1] (born June 21, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at UMass and Louisville.

Early life

Taylor attended St. Anthony's High School where she helped lead the Friars to CHSAA championships each of her first three seasons and a state title as a freshman.[2]

College career

Taylor began her college basketball at UMass. During the 2019–20 season, in her freshman year, she played in 17 games as a reserve and averaged 6.1 minutes per game. During the 2020–21 season, in her sophomore year, she started all 24 games, and averaged 15.6 points per game.[2]

During the 2021–22 season, in her junior year, she started all 33 games, and averaged 15.9 points per game and had 26 double figure games. On January 12, 2022, against VCU, she scored a then career-high 32 points, including a career-high 12 field goals made.[3] Following the season she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Second team.[2]

During the 2022–23 season, in her senior year, she started all 33 games, and averaged 16.1 points per game. On January 22, 2023, against Dayton, she scored 30 points, including a career-best seven three-point field goals made.[4] On February 4, 2023, against La Salle, she recorded 26 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, for her first career double-double.[5] She led the Atlantic 10 in three-point field goals made and tied for seventh in the nation with 104 three-pointers. Following the season she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-First team.[2]

On April 22, 2023, she transferred to Louisville for her final year of eligibility.[6] During the 2023–24 season, in her graduate year, she appeared in 34 games, with 32 starts, and averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She finished the season with a team-best 57 made three-pointers.[7]

Professional career

Europe

Following her collegiate career, Taylor played overseas in Lithuania and Poland.[8] During the 2025–26 season, she played for MB Zagelbie Sosnowiec, and averaged 22.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game.[9]

On July 25, 2026, she signed a contract with the Turkish giant Galatasaray.[10]

WNBA

On April 13, 2026, she signed a training camp contract with the Chicago Sky of the WNBA.[11] On April 29, 2026, during the final pre-season game of the season against the Atlanta Dream, she scored a team-high 23 points.[12][13] She made the Sky's opening day roster.[14] On May 27, 2026, against the Toronto Tempo, she scored a team-high 27 points in 23 minutes off the bench.[15] On June 11, 2026, against the Indiana Fever, she scored a career-high 30 points in 20 minutes and 41 seconds off the bench. She became the second player in WNBA history to score at least 30 points in 21 or fewer minutes. She also became just the fourth rookie in league history to record multiple games of at least 25 points off the bench in the same season.[16] She moved to the starting lineup on June 17, 2026.[17] She scored 24 points in 28 minutes during her first career start, including a three-pointer that put the Sky ahead by one with 15 seconds remaining. The Sky ultimately lost to the New York Liberty 96–95 after Taylor missed a contested jumper at the buzzer.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Sydney Leah Taylor - Kibirkstis Vilnius - Player Profile - EuroCup Women 2024-25". FIBA Basketball. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Sydney Taylor". umassathletics.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ Bevis, Hannah (January 12, 2022). "Sydney Taylor goes off, UMass women beat VCU in return from 3-week break". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Sydney Taylor's career day lifts UMass women's basketball past Dayton, 79-60". Daily Hampshire Gazette. January 22, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ Grabowski, Kyle (February 4, 2023). "UMass basketball: Sydney Taylor's 1st career double-double helps Minutewomen drub La Salle". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  6. ↑ Crawford, Eric (April 22, 2023). "Louisville women add top 3-point threat in UMass transfer Sydney Taylor". wdrb.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Sydney Taylor". gocards.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ Hirsh, Alissa (May 2, 2026). "Sydney Taylor gives Sky something to think about". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  9. ↑ "UMass' Sydney Taylor Signs With Chicago Sky". gocards.com. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Sydney Taylor, Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'de!". Galatasaray S.K. July 25, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Sydney Taylor Joins Chicago Sky from Louisville". usbasket.com. April 13, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ Hirsh, Alissa (May 5, 2026). "Sky guard Sydney Taylor is one day away from a dream come true". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Dream 87-78 Sky (Apr 29, 2026) Final Score". www.espn.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2026. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ Cubit, Alexis (May 8, 2026). "5 Louisville women's basketball alums on WNBA rosters for 2026 season". Louisville Courier Journal. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  15. ↑ Krapf, Madisen (June 19, 2026). "Inside Rookie Phenom Sydney Taylor's Record-Breaking Two-Game Stretch". WNBA.com. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
  16. ↑ Fountain, Sharon (June 11, 2026). "Taylor scores 30, Chicago Sky fall in OT". The Chicago Crusader. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  17. ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (June 25, 2026). "How Sydney Taylor went from undrafted free agent to starter". theixsports.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  18. ↑ Hirsh, Alissa (June 17, 2026). "Sky guard Sydney Taylor met the moment in her first WNBA start". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
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