Top-25 recruit Ethan Taylor, a 7-1 center, commits to Michigan State

Ethan Taylor, one of the top centers in the country, has committed to Michigan State, he told Rivals.

The 7-foot-1 four-star senior out of Link Academy (MO) chose Tom Izzo and the Spartans over Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Oregon, and Indiana.

Taylor, a native of Shawnee, Kansas, is the No. 24 overall prospect in the 2026 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He’s also the No. 2 ranked center in the class.

The Spartans now have four total pledges in the 2026 class, including four-star point guard Carlos Medlock Jr. (No. 73 nationally) and four-star forward Julius Avent (No. 84 nationally).

Taylor on his commitment to Michigan State

Ethan Taylor went in-depth with Rivals to discuss his commitment to the Spartans.

“When I was looking for a school, Michigan State checked all my boxes. Outside of that, the fanbase is amazing. I can definitely feel the immense amounts of love from them and they treated me like I was apart of the team on my visit.”

What led to his trust in the coaching staff?

“Building trust with the coaches was the easiest thing. They recruited me hard and  also took the time to build relationships with me and my family and that really spoke to me.”

In his own words, what type of player is Michigan State getting in Ethan Taylor?

“I would say my game is a mixture of finesse and power. I rely on my footwork to get where I need to be and touch to finish plays while also powering through contact. I’m also working on my playmaking and ability to space the floor with my shot as well as working on becoming a more intimidating presence defensively.”

He has a message for Michigan State fans.

“I’m pumped to be a Spartan. Let’s get to work.”

Scouting Report

Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw provided the following scouting report on Taylor:

Watching Ethan Taylor, the first thing you notice is the sheer size he brings to the table. He is very bit of his 7-foot-1 listing, with long arms and a projectable frame. Taylor should be able to continue adding good weight as he gets into a college strength and conditioning program without losing his fluidity.

For a player his size, Taylor is a fluid mover. He can still be a bit heavy-footed at times and is going to have to stay on top of his conditioning, but when he is fresh he switches ends cleanly and he is able to open and drop in the half court. Taylor gets off the floor well and is able to rebound and dunk in traffic.

Taylor plays within himself on the offensive end. Remaining in the dunker spot or diving with purpose to the front of the rim. He has good hands with the ball is above his chest and is become more confident (and patient) in receiving the ball with his back to the basket and getting over his left shoulder.

Patience has been a big thing for Taylor’s development over the last few months. His passing has become an intriguing piece to his game, having the feel of the defense and getting open looks for teammates as the defense collapses.

Taylor has intriguing long-term upside with his game. And he is on a pretty quick upslope when it comes to production. It will be interesting how quickly he becomes ready to contribute, because he possesses some real tools with long-term upside.