Photo by: Justin Pacheco
Ethan Taylor NBA Summer League Recap
7/21/2025 10:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Ethan Taylor, a 2025 Air Force Academy graduate, and four-year letterwinner with the men's basketball program recently wrapped-up playing for the Los Angeles Lakers Summer League team for the 2025 Summer.
Taylor appeared in five games for the Lakers, tallying 21 points and shooting 53.8 percent from three-point range (7-for-13).
- Taylor and the Lakers opened Summer League play at the California Classic Summer League, presented by CarMax, at Chase Center on July 5, 6 and 8, featuring three days of game play between the host Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
- In his debut on the 5th against the Warriors, Taylor scored six points in 15 minutes. He went 2-for-3 from three-point range, knocking down his first-career attempt. Taylor also added an assist and was one of four Lakers that had a plus-rating while on the court. The game was televised nationally on ESPN2.
- Against the Miami Heat on July 6th, Taylor was on the floor for three minutes. He made the most of his time on the court, recording an assist and grabbing a rebound. The game was televised on NBATV.
- Taylor logged seven minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on July 8th. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
- Taylor appeared in two games for the Lakers at the Las Vegas Summer League, which ran July 10-20 in Las Vegas. Against the Boston Celtics on July 17th, Taylor had three steals, a blocked shot and one rebound. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
- Taylor saved his best for last, erupting to 15 points against the Denver Nuggets on July 18. The guard knocked down 5-of-8 from three-point range, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes of play. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
Ethan Taylor Quotes:
"I really had to find time on my own time and really just grinded it out that way because of the strenuous and hard schedule that the Air Force Academy puts on you purposefully. That place is a leadership academy; it's meant to be hard. And I fully embraced it."
(Quotes from interview with Edwin Garcia.)
"It's an awesome opportunity that I don't take lightly," Taylor said. "There have been a lot of great players at Air Force. People, just based on the name of the school and the situation that we're in, tend to look down on us as basketball players. That's something I want to change."
"My mom was huge in that decision (to come to the Air Force Academy). She loved that it was going to make me a better man. That's what the academy does, it makes you a real honorable person, and it gets you mentally ready for anything that you can face in life."
"Service academies are pretty much leadership factories. They teach you those skills that you need to be able to adapt to any situation. That's something that's helping me in basketball and life."
(Quotes from OC Register interview with Devon Henderson)
Quotes regarding Ethan Taylor:
Lindsey Harding - Los Angeles Lakers Summer League Team Head Coach.
"One thing about him is his physicality and his defense,"
"That's something, the type of player he is he likes to push up full court. Pressured the ball, was very disruptive for us."
"Great guy, whether he plays or doesn't play he's a great teammate. He's a great guy and it's cool to have someone like that with a completely different background and experience than any of us have had."
(Quotes from Colorado Springs Gazette interview with Brent Briggeman)
Joe Scott - Air Force MBB Head Coach.
"That's the (recruiting) game plan. Find a guy like Ethan who loves basketball, a family that knows education is unbelievably important. Then, when it comes to the academy and service, there's a certain understanding of 'wow, that's important in life, too.' If you can find those three things in that order, then you get a good basketball player."
(Quotes from OC Register interview with Devon Henderson)
Taylor Summer Interviews
Air Force graduate Ethan Taylor makes most of 'unreal' NBA Summer League opportunity with Lakers (subscription required)
https://gazette.com/sports/air-force-graduate-ethan-taylor-makes-most-of-unreal-nba-summer-league-opportunity-with-lakers/article_a65ad54c-f524-4a39-9744-a0e84b4ad3e9.html
Ethan Taylor chasing NBA with Lakers (by Devon Henderson)
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/07/06/ethan-taylor-chasing-nba-dream-with-lakers/
Ethan Taylor is getting his chance in the NBA Summer League (by Corey Rholdon)
https://www.kktv.com/2025/07/03/air-force-captain-ethan-taylor-is-getting-his-chance-nba-summer-league/
Ethan Taylor is ready to seize his opportunity with the Lakers this summer (by Edwin Garcia)
https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2025/7/5/24461283/lakers-ethan-taylor-summer-league-roster-las-vegas-california-classic
Taylor appeared in five games for the Lakers, tallying 21 points and shooting 53.8 percent from three-point range (7-for-13).
- Taylor and the Lakers opened Summer League play at the California Classic Summer League, presented by CarMax, at Chase Center on July 5, 6 and 8, featuring three days of game play between the host Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
- In his debut on the 5th against the Warriors, Taylor scored six points in 15 minutes. He went 2-for-3 from three-point range, knocking down his first-career attempt. Taylor also added an assist and was one of four Lakers that had a plus-rating while on the court. The game was televised nationally on ESPN2.
- Against the Miami Heat on July 6th, Taylor was on the floor for three minutes. He made the most of his time on the court, recording an assist and grabbing a rebound. The game was televised on NBATV.
- Taylor logged seven minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on July 8th. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
- Taylor appeared in two games for the Lakers at the Las Vegas Summer League, which ran July 10-20 in Las Vegas. Against the Boston Celtics on July 17th, Taylor had three steals, a blocked shot and one rebound. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
- Taylor saved his best for last, erupting to 15 points against the Denver Nuggets on July 18. The guard knocked down 5-of-8 from three-point range, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes of play. The game was televised nationally on ESPN.
Ethan Taylor Quotes:
"I really had to find time on my own time and really just grinded it out that way because of the strenuous and hard schedule that the Air Force Academy puts on you purposefully. That place is a leadership academy; it's meant to be hard. And I fully embraced it."
(Quotes from interview with Edwin Garcia.)
"It's an awesome opportunity that I don't take lightly," Taylor said. "There have been a lot of great players at Air Force. People, just based on the name of the school and the situation that we're in, tend to look down on us as basketball players. That's something I want to change."
"My mom was huge in that decision (to come to the Air Force Academy). She loved that it was going to make me a better man. That's what the academy does, it makes you a real honorable person, and it gets you mentally ready for anything that you can face in life."
"Service academies are pretty much leadership factories. They teach you those skills that you need to be able to adapt to any situation. That's something that's helping me in basketball and life."
(Quotes from OC Register interview with Devon Henderson)
Quotes regarding Ethan Taylor:
Lindsey Harding - Los Angeles Lakers Summer League Team Head Coach.
"One thing about him is his physicality and his defense,"
"That's something, the type of player he is he likes to push up full court. Pressured the ball, was very disruptive for us."
"Great guy, whether he plays or doesn't play he's a great teammate. He's a great guy and it's cool to have someone like that with a completely different background and experience than any of us have had."
(Quotes from Colorado Springs Gazette interview with Brent Briggeman)
Joe Scott - Air Force MBB Head Coach.
"That's the (recruiting) game plan. Find a guy like Ethan who loves basketball, a family that knows education is unbelievably important. Then, when it comes to the academy and service, there's a certain understanding of 'wow, that's important in life, too.' If you can find those three things in that order, then you get a good basketball player."
(Quotes from OC Register interview with Devon Henderson)
Taylor Summer Interviews
Air Force graduate Ethan Taylor makes most of 'unreal' NBA Summer League opportunity with Lakers (subscription required)
https://gazette.com/sports/air-force-graduate-ethan-taylor-makes-most-of-unreal-nba-summer-league-opportunity-with-lakers/article_a65ad54c-f524-4a39-9744-a0e84b4ad3e9.html
Ethan Taylor chasing NBA with Lakers (by Devon Henderson)
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/07/06/ethan-taylor-chasing-nba-dream-with-lakers/
Ethan Taylor is getting his chance in the NBA Summer League (by Corey Rholdon)
https://www.kktv.com/2025/07/03/air-force-captain-ethan-taylor-is-getting-his-chance-nba-summer-league/
Ethan Taylor is ready to seize his opportunity with the Lakers this summer (by Edwin Garcia)
https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2025/7/5/24461283/lakers-ethan-taylor-summer-league-roster-las-vegas-california-classic
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball2025 Graduation Recap
Monday, June 02
Joe Scott and Player POST Boise State March 4, 2025
Tuesday, March 04
Air Force falls to Boise State
Tuesday, March 04
Joe Scott and Player POST CSU
Tuesday, February 25
