Days after viral interaction with Hakeem Olajuwon, 2026 prospect Ethan Taylor soars in recruit rankings

Ethan Taylor, Class of 2026 recruit, will enter his senior year at the Link Academy next season. The 7-foot center was seen practicing and getting some advice from the NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon at the NBPA Top 100 Camp last week.

Taylor took Olajuwon's advice and worked on his post game. It looks like the practice session with the two-time NBA Champion worked out as Taylor jumped 51 spots to be ranked No. 22 nationally and second in the center position, according to 247Sports Player Rating.

Co-host of the Verbal Commitment Podcast, Ryan Wallace, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

"Former @SmnwHoops star @3thantaylor24 now at #22 nationally and the #2 center. That's a boost of 51 spots!" he posted.

Taylor also spoke to On3 about his game.

“My game has taken a huge leap offensively,” Taylor told On3. “I used to be more of a short corner guy, but I’ve gotten better at crashing the glass, getting put-backs, and scoring off post-ups.

"A lot of my development has been me just turning up my motor. It was kind of hard to grasp that these last couple of years, but my understanding is that now, everything has been clicking for me.”

Ethan Taylor, who transferred to Link Academy this year, played for the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School since his freshman season. He led the team to a 22-3 record and first-place finish in the Kansas Section Sunflower Basketball League, after a 12-1 record.

The team also won the Kansas state title, defeating Olathe North 64-56 in March. With Taylor, the Cougars finished with a 62-11 overall record, including a 25-0 record in his sophomore year.

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Missouri leads the race to sign Ethan Taylor

The Class of 2026 recruit has received offers from top programs across the nation, including the Missouri Tigers, Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos, Kansas Jayhawks, Oregon Ducks and Baylor Bears.

Ethan Taylor told On3 that he has not taken any official visits.

“I have not had any official visits, yet,” Taylor said. “I am talking with Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma about setting something up.”

On3's recruitment prediction machine gives Missouri a 53.0% chance to land the center. They are followed by Missouri-Kansas City with a 4.2% prediction and Kansas with a 3.6% probability.

Taylor still has another year to decide on his collegiate career.