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Jack Taylor, born in Lakeside, California, is a former college basketball player at Grinnell College. He set an NCAA record for the most points in a single game, scoring 138 points in 2012. Taylor's impressive performance gained recognition from NBA players like Bryant and LeBron James. However, he faced challenges during his basketball journey, including a major knee injury while at Mercersburg Academy. After graduating from Grinnell, Taylor's basketball career did not lead to an NBA draft selection. He eventually stepped away from the sport, pursuing other interests such as videography and podcasting. Despite not pursuing a professional basketball career, Taylor's record-breaking achievements at Grinnell College left a lasting impact and earned him a heroic status on campus.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 12, 1990 |
| Place of Birth | Lakeside, San Diego County, California |
| Parents | Jack and Elizabeth Taylor |
| Siblings | Cassandra, Tiffany and Jennifer Taylor |
| High School | Black River Falls High School, Wisconsin |
| College | Grinnell College |
| Knee Injury | January 2010 |
| University Basketball | University of Wisconsin–La Crosse |
| Record-Breaking Score | 138 points |
| Record-Breaking Date | November 20, 2012 |
| Record-Breaking Opponents | Faith Baptist Bible College |
| Record-Breaking Attempts | 108 field goal attempts, 71 3-pointers |
| Record-Breaking Makes | 27 3-pointers |
| Post-Basketball Career | Videographer, Podcaster, Founder of Taylor Media |
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What You'll Learn
Jack Taylor's 138-point game
On November 20, 2012, Jack Taylor, a 5-foot-10 guard on a Division III team, scored 138 points in a single game, setting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record for most points by an individual player. Taylor played for Grinnell College, and his record-breaking performance came in a 179-104 win over Faith Baptist Bible College. He played 36 minutes and shot 52-of-108 from the field, 27-of-71 from three-point range, and 7 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Taylor's achievement was widely recognized, with highlights of his performance being shown on major channels and newspapers nationwide covering the story. Even National Basketball Association (NBA) players, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, expressed amazement at Taylor's feat. Taylor became the biggest story in basketball, appearing on SportsCenter, The Dan Patrick Show, Jimmy Kimmel, and The Today Show.
Taylor's journey to this record-breaking performance began at Black River Falls High School in Wisconsin, where he was a standout player, averaging 20.4 points and 4.7 assists per game in his senior year. After high school, he attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania but suffered a major knee injury that sidelined him for a while. He then played at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse before transferring to Grinnell College, known for its high-scoring system.
Taylor's record-setting game was not without controversy, as some criticized the nature of Grinnell's playing style, which involved letting one player take most of the shots against weaker opponents to rack up points. Taylor himself acknowledged that his focus was on using the platform to spread his faith, and he later expressed disappointment with the sport, feeling that it had let him down despite achieving his dream of scoring over 100 points.
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Early life and high school career
Jack Taylor, born on October 12, 1990, in Lakeside, California, is an American former college basketball player at Grinnell College. He grew up idolising National Basketball Association (NBA) star Kobe Bryant and emulated his footwork while using chairs as defenders. Taylor's aunt, Pixar film producer Darla K. Anderson, often paid for him to attend basketball camps at top colleges like Duke and Stanford, where he faced tough competition.
Taylor attended Black River Falls High School in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, where he played basketball for four years. In his senior year in 2008–09, he averaged 20.4 points and 4.7 assists per game, shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc. He was named the Coulee Conference Player of the Year, first-team All-Conference, WBCA Division 2 first-team All-State, and AP honourable mention all-state. He finished his high school career as the second-leading scorer in school history with 1,295 points, averaging 20.7 points per game.
After graduating from high school, Taylor could not secure a Division I athletic scholarship, so he enrolled at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania as a postgraduate. Mercersburg, a boarding school offering college-level courses, played in a league that produced Division I players. Taylor was off to a solid start, averaging around 14 points and seven assists in nine games before suffering a major knee injury in January 2010. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral meniscus in his left knee, requiring surgery and ending his season prematurely.
In April 2010, Taylor committed to playing at the Division III University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, turning down Grinnell College. He sat out his first season at UW–La Crosse to recover fully from his knee injury. In his freshman season in 2011–12, he averaged 7.0 points in 13.4 minutes across 27 games as a reserve. Despite his contributions, Taylor lost his passion for the game and grew to dislike practice.
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College career and injuries
Jack Taylor was born in San Diego County, California, in the city of Lakeside. He played basketball for four years at Black River Falls High School in Wisconsin, where he was an All-State player and the second-leading scorer in the school's history. After graduating from high school, Taylor attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania as a postgraduate. While at Mercersburg, Taylor averaged around 14 points and seven assists in nine games before suffering a major knee injury in January 2010, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral meniscus in his left knee.
Following surgery, he committed to playing at the Division III University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. He sat out his first season to recover from his knee injury. In his freshman season (2011–12), he averaged 7.0 points in 13.4 minutes in 27 games as a reserve. Despite his success, Taylor stopped enjoying basketball and grew to loathe practice. After his freshman year, he transferred to Grinnell College to play in their high-scoring system.
On November 20, 2012, Taylor set an NCAA record for the most points in a single game, scoring 138 points against Faith Baptist Bible College. He shot 71 3-pointers and made 27 of them, with 58 points at halftime. Taylor's record-breaking performance was the first time a college or pro player had surpassed the previous high school record of 135 points. He became the third player to score 100 or more points in an NCAA game and broke the Division III record.
Taylor's 2012–13 season ended prematurely when he broke his arm. He recovered and went on to become a two-time All-Midwest Region selection over the next two seasons. In 2013, he scored 109 points, the third-highest total in NCAA history. After graduating from Grinnell, Taylor signed with the Scorers 1st Sports management agency and participated in their showcase in Las Vegas in 2015. However, he went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft, and by 2016, he stated he was no longer interested in playing or watching basketball.
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Post-college career and retirement
After graduating from Grinnell, Jack Taylor signed with the Scorers 1st Sports Management agency. He went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft. In July 2015, he was one of 60 players selected to participate in a two-day showcase in Las Vegas attended by international scouts, primarily from European leagues. However, in 2016, Taylor stated that he no longer had any interest in playing or watching basketball. He became a videographer and founded his own company, Taylor Media, in Black River Falls. He also started a podcast with some of the town's residents.
Taylor's illustrious college career saw him set multiple scoring records. On November 20, 2012, he scored 138 points in a single game, setting an NCAA record. He also holds the third-highest NCAA single-game scoring record with 109 points in 2013. Taylor is one of only four players in Grinnell and Division III history to end his career with four games of 50 points or more. He was a two-time All-Midwest Region selection and is remembered as a hero on the Grinnell campus.
Taylor's journey to Grinnell College began at Black River Falls High School in Wisconsin, where he was an All-State player and the second-leading scorer in school history. He then attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania but suffered a major knee injury. After recovering, he played at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse before transferring to Grinnell College, where he thrived in their high-scoring system.
In October 2022, on the 10th anniversary of his record-breaking performance, Taylor returned to Grinnell College to play basketball and reconnect with his love for the game. He disguised himself as a recruit and joined a practice session, surprising the current players when he revealed his true identity. This experience brought Taylor a sense of ease and closure, allowing him to move on from his basketball career and embrace new passions.
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Personal life and family
Jack Taylor was born in San Diego County, California, in the city of Lakeside. He is the son of Jack and Elizabeth Taylor and has three sisters: Cassandra, Tiffany, and Jennifer Taylor. Taylor attended Black River Falls High School in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, where he played basketball for four years. His favourite player growing up was National Basketball Association (NBA) star Kobe Bryant, whose footwork he emulated while using chairs as defenders.
Taylor's aunt, Pixar film producer Darla K. Anderson, often paid for him to attend basketball camps at colleges like Duke and Stanford, where he faced tough competition. In his senior year in 2008–09, he averaged 20.4 points and 4.7 assists per game and shot 42.3% on three-point field goals. He finished his high school career as the second-leading scorer in school history with 1,295 points, averaging 20.7 points per game.
After graduating from high school, Taylor attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania as a postgraduate. He averaged around 14 points and seven assists in nine games before suffering a major knee injury in January 2010. He then played one season at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse before transferring to Grinnell College, where he set the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record for most points in a single game (138) in 2012.
Taylor became engaged to his high school sweetheart, Christina Teeples, in August 2013, and they married in the summer of 2014. Teeples, who also played basketball at Black River Falls High School, gave birth to their daughter, Abigail, in 2016. Taylor founded Taylor Media, a video production company in Black River Falls, and started a podcast with some of the town's residents. He also pursued a career as a videographer and local TV personality, gaining over 15,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, which features clips about life in his hometown.
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Frequently asked questions
Jack Taylor scored 138 points in a single game, breaking the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record for most points.
Jack Taylor achieved this record on November 20, 2012, while playing for Grinnell College.
Jack Taylor's 2012-13 season ended prematurely after he broke his arm. He recovered and became a two-time All-Midwest Region selection over the next two seasons.
Jack Taylor went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft. He later stated that he was no longer interested in playing or watching basketball. He became a videographer and founded his own company, Taylor Media.
As of 2022, Jack Taylor has returned to basketball. He is also active on Instagram under the username @jacktaylor138, with over 6,000 followers.
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