4 ACC teams among 4-star Justin Taylor’s five finalists, decision coming soon

4-star NCAA Basketball wing prospect Justin Taylor is down to five finalists and will make a decision on June 26.

2022  top-100 prospect Justin Taylor recently revealed his list of five finalists, which included four ACC schools, and stated that he would reveal his college decision on Saturday, June 26. Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, along with Indiana are the teams that made Charlottesville, Virginia native’s final five.

Taylor has visited all five schools. He took an official visit to  North Carolina (June 6-6), Syracuse (June 9-10), Virginia (unknown), and Indiana (June 15-16). Virginia Tech received an unofficial visit on June 6.

The 6-6, 200-pound small forward is an NBA-range shooter who has a silky smooth jumper with a high and quick release. He also has the ability to score at all three levels as he can put the ball on the deck or shoot off the catch. Taylor, who is very athletic and has a strong upper body, possesses good handles and plays long, especially when going to the hoop, where he has a variety of finishes and can finish through contact.

Taylor is ranked 84th in the class by 247 Sports Composite and 56th by 247 Sports. Rivals have him at No. 54 while ESPN does not have in their top-100.

“I think playing style is huge and having the opportunity to try to step up as a freshman will be good,” Taylor told VT Scoop when asked what he was looking for at a program. “Just coming in and being comfortable with how the coaches run things. Seeing what other players they have and how I can fit in so I can be comfortable out there and just play my game. I know it will be a process, that is what college is, but stepping into that and trying to play right away will be good.”

Here is a look at Taylor’s five finalists. He previously talked to 247 Sports about his finalists.

North Carolina: Taylor said that Hubert Davis and his coaching staff, particularly Jeff Lebo, have made him a priority.

"“Speaking with them, their message has been to have me be the main guy at the shooting guard position. They like to get out and run but they need a guy like me to space out the floor and shoot it.”"

UNC potentially has a logjam at the wing depending on potential pro decisions for Caleb Love, Anthony Harris, and Puff Johnson. 2021 signee Dontrez Styles is also in the mix.

Indiana: ” I have a good relationship over there, and I had a Zoom call not too long ago with them. Coach (Mike) Woodson has coached at every level and knows what it takes to get to the NBA, so that’s huge, and I’m excited to see what he brings to Indiana. We kind of talked about it in the Zoom call that with his basketball knowledge and history, he can bring a lot to the team so I’m excited to get down there.”

Wing is definitely a need for IU as Northwestern transfer Miller Kopp will graduate in 2022. Therefore, leaving sophomores (will be juniors in 2022) Anthony Leal, Trey Galloway, and 2021 incoming freshman Tamar Bates as the only players on the depth The Hoosiers are projected to have five more scholarships available for 2022. They have a verbal commitment from Fishers (Ind.) native CJ Gunn, who is a shooting guard.

“They definitely made a great impression on me and my mom,” Taylor told Peegs.com about his Bloomington visit. “That’s one thing that stood out, they weren’t pressuring me to make a decision. They understand it’s a tough process, and that’s why they’re going to keep prioritizing me.”

Syracuse: “Coach Gmac (Gerry McNamara) and Coach (Jim) Boeheim have been recruiting me super hard for a while now. They produce a lot of guards and wings similar to me and I watched a lot of Buddy Boeheim this year, which is how they would use me. They would do similar plays they do for him for me, like coming off pindowns and ball screens. They’ve always had similar guys like him so I would be filling Buddy’s role since he will be gone.”

The Orange wing position will be very depleted with Buddy Boeheim and Cole Swider’s departure following the completion of the 2021-22 campaign. The Orange, who has a verbal commitment from 4-star forward Kamari Lands, has several scholarships available for next year.

Virginia and Virginia Tech obviously have seen Taylor the most, and he is extremely familiar with those two clubs as well. The Cavaliers look pretty set at shooting guard, but they could use help at the “3” with Poland native Igor Milicic being the only player at the position in 2022 thus far. Like the Cuse, Va. Tech could really use some help on the wing in 2022.

Projection: Syracuse is seen as the favorite for Taylor’s services, and I would agree that the  Orange are the most logical choice. Virginia Tech probably needs him the second most out of the teams, but he didn’t go on an official visit to Blacksburg, and it may be too close to home for his liking. Thus, I believe Indiana is No. 2, followed by Virginia and then UNC, with the Hokies bringing up the rear.