For former Duke guard Celeste Taylor and former Michigan State forward Taiyier Parks, Ohio State made perfect sense.
Growing up in Valley Stream, New York, on Long Island, Taylor fostered a relationship with fellow Long Island native Jalen Powell, who will enter her third year as an assistant coach at Ohio State in 2023-24. And even before Powell joined Kevin McGuff’s staff, the Buckeyes had already made a great impression on Taylor during her high school recruitment.
So when Taylor was looking for a final destination to close out her college basketball tenure, Ohio State already had a leg up.