Prospect Spotlight: Taylor Donaldson (2020)

One of the fastest rising prospects in the Class of 2020 is Taylor Donaldson from Oaks Christian High School. The incoming senior guard has established herself as one of the most explosive players in the Marmonte League. She had several high scoring performances this past season, including a 44 point outburst against Simi Valley back in November. She's a very versatile scorer who can create her own shot and shoot from anywhere on the court. She can attack defenders off the dribble and get to the rim as well as draw contact and get to the free-throw line. But scoring isn't all she can do. She's an aggressive defender who plays solid one on one defense, and she reads the passing lanes well. As she uses this summer to prepare for her senior year, there are some aspects of her game she wants to work on. "I think I want to improve upon shooting from the outside, from three-point range," Donaldson told Prep Girls Hoops. "And also improve on drawing more contact." Donaldson's play has already caught the attention of several Division 1 schools including Columbia, CSUN, Loyola Marymount, Nevada-Reno, UCSB, UNLV, and Washington. She received an official offer last month from CSUN. As of right now though, she's leaving her options open when it comes to choosing where to play at the next level. "There's a couple of schools who have shown more interest, but right now I'm just keeping my options open for whatever happens," Donaldson said. "July is like the biggest month for basketball so I'm just waiting until then to see what really happens during that time." Choosing a school is one of the biggest decision that a high school basketball player will make in their lifetime. A lot goes into the decision, from coaching to team fit, to location, to academics. It's not an easy decision to make. It's one that requires a lot of thought. For Donaldson, she's got a few important qualities that she's going to be looking for when that time comes for her to pick where to take her talents next. "I'm going to be looking for obviously a good basketball school with somewhere I can connect with the coach really well," Donaldson said. "But also with academics to see if they have what I want to major in and what I want to do after basketball because that plays a big part in my life." This summer, Donaldson is playing with West Coast Elite on the Under Armour AAU circuit. She's playing with a few other top local talents in Texas commit Ashley Chevalier of Sierra Canyon, and Jayda Curry and Jessica Peterson of Centennial. AAU is a good time for many players to work on the craft and improve their game, while also auditioning for college coaches. There are few things Donaldson is hoping to take away from her time on the circuit this summer. "I think you get good competition and it helps you get better," Donaldson said. "It honestly gets you ready for college and life, it also helps you with life skills, that's what I mostly get out of it." And while there are still a few months to go before the high school basketball season rolls around, there are a few things she's already looking forward to when it comes to her final season before she's off to college. "I'm just looking forward to bonding with my team and winning more games," Donaldson said. "Just trying to make it further in playoffs this season than we did last season."