{
  "id": 11381115,
  "title": "Revisiting Kamario Taylor's basketball career: The story behind viral high school dunk highlights",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/revisiting-kamario-taylors-basketball-career-the-story-behind-viral",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-02T07:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/revisiting-kamario-taylors-basketball-career-070001512.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kamario Taylor is one of the breakout stars of the college football season, with his athleticism impressing fans nationwide. However, Taylor's college path could have taken a different turn if he had chosen a different sport. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Taylor played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track. Eventually, he grew into his body and developed as a quarterback, leaving basketball behind.\n\nHad Taylor remained focused on basketball, he could have been a highly sought-after recruit due to his exceptional athleticism. Standing at 6-foot-4, Taylor's height matches that of many top college basketball guards. Let's take a closer look at Kamario Taylor's basketball career.\n\nKamario Taylor indeed played basketball for Noxubee County High School. While he eventually chose football as his primary sport, basketball remained a significant part of his high school career. Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby first encountered Taylor on a basketball court when he visited the school before becoming the Bulldogs' head coach. Lebby was impressed by Taylor's skills, noting that Taylor was shooting and dunking during his visit.\n\nTaylor's mother described him as a \"freak athlete,\" highlighting his ability to excel in multiple sports. This athleticism allowed him to produce a few highlight-reel plays in basketball, showcasing his extraordinary skills across various sports. Despite his limited playing time, Taylor scored seven points in two games during the 2021-22 varsity basketball season. Eventually, he decided to commit fully to football, leaving basketball behind.",
  "summary": "Here's a look back at Taylor's basketball career.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "'Lottery ticket': The story of Kamario Taylor's stubborn commitment to Mississippi State",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/lottery-ticket-the-story-of-kamario-taylors-stubborn-commitment-to",
        "published": "2026-10-02T07:40:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}