MYRTLE BEACH, SC – THI was on hand Friday for the Big Shots Beach Bash and got a chance to watch class of 2021 shooting guard Lucas Taylor, who has recently been in some conversations with North Carolina’s coaching staff.

Taylor, who is 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds, is the No. 130 overall prospect in the class and attends Heritage High School in Wake Forest, NC, which is about 30 miles east from Chapel Hill. Taylor is good friends with current UNC freshman Day’Ron Sharpe, as they played together on the Garner Road AAU team.

Among Taylor’s growing offer sheet includes Ohio State, Clemson, Miami, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Arizona State and Providence, among many others. He averaged 22 points and 6 rebounds per game this past season and was named the NAC6 Player of the Year, District 5 first team and first-team all-conference.

Taylor was playing for Garner Road at the event in Myrtle Beach, and after one of Friday’s games, THI caught up with Taylor to discuss his game and recruitment. Here are a few nuggets from the interview:

*Taylor said he was excited to get back into action so he could see how much his hard work during the shutdown has paid off.

*Taylor spent the last few months working on his ballhandling and getting more consistent shooting from the perimeter. “Everyone wants someone that can shoot, so (I) was just making sure that I’m hitting threes.”

*Asked to describe his game, Taylor replied, “I feel I’m a really good shooter and can score at all three levels, can finish above the rim as well, can use my length on defense a lot, too, to get steals and deflections, for sure.”

*Taylor showed leadership qualities at the event and said that’s part of his game, because the shot isn’t always going to fall so he wants to find other ways to help his team win games.

*He didn’t have any offers when 2020 started, but he got two in February and started getting more in April.

*He’s enjoying the relationship-building process with UNC right now. He mostly speaks with Steve Robinson.

*What has UNC told him they like about his game? “I would say the size for sure, being a 6-6 guard. Being a big guard is big for them, that they really fit with that category. Puff (Johnson) is 6-8 playing on the wing… Being able to shoot and get some baskets, as well is big.”

*He’s hoping the NCAA will allow prospects to visit campuses in September, but if not, he will still go ahead and start making some decisions, perhaps cutting down his list.