Elite 2021 recruit Taylor Bigby commits to Oregon

Taylor Bigby has committed to the Oregon Ducks

In July, I stated that Oregon head coach, Kelly Graves, has entered elite status in regards to recruiting. After landing commitments from five players in the class of 2020 that are in the ESPN’s top-50, Graves lands his first top-100 commitment in the 2021 class, as Taylor Bigby has announced she will join the Ducks.

Bigby, a 5’11 guard from Las Vegas, Nevada, is the 23rd ranked player in her class, according to ESPN. Bigby attends Centennial High School and plays AAU for the Cal Sparks.

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Bigby will bring a unique combination of size and athleticism to Eugene, and she has the potential to really excel in the Ducks system. While the Ducks have plenty of outside shooters, Bigby will add to that, but also bring a different dimension to the offensive end for Coach Graves. Her ability to breakdown defenders one-on-one and create her own shot at all three levels, makes her an extremely difficult guard for most defenders, particularly at the guard position. At 5’11, and with a long wingspan, she is a matchup nightmare for most at the position.

Defensively, she can be a game-ruiner. She’s active in the passing lanes, a strong on-ball defender, causes and creates turnovers, and also attacks the glass with intent. Bigby might be the best rebounding guard in the 2021 class.

While Bigby is the first top-100 commitment for Graves and the Ducks in the 2021 class, she is also an extremely important one. She can play multiple positions on the floor — anywhere from 1-4 — and that’s important in Oregon’s system.

Following their first trip in school history to the Final Four last season, Oregon returns a plethora of talent, led by 2019 Wooden Award winner, Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu, the likely No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, leads a team that is preseason No. 1 in the country.

Graves will look to get the Ducks back to the Final Four again this season, but his ability to recruit has them setup for long-term success in the Pac-12 and at the national level. Oregon’s 2020 class has already landed commitments from top-50 players Sydney Parrish (No. 10), Kylee Watson (No. 15), Maddie Scherr (No. 19), Angela Dugalic (No. 24), and Te-Hina Paopao (No. 33).

When the likes of Ionescu and Ruth Hebard depart for the WNBA following this season, the Ducks may not skip a beat.

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