UW Basketball Could Be Potential Suitor for Ex-FB Player Turned Hooper
Washington men's basketball coach Danny Sprinkle could circle back on a player he followed months ago when the transfer portal opens in April.
Officially, the men's and women's basketball transfer portal window doesn't open for at least another week. But when it comes to Volunteer State Community College sophomore guard Taylor Groves, a former football player turned hooper who is coming off a season-ending ACL injury, it's different. Groves, a 6-foot-3 Cross Plains, Tennessee native, began his career as a football player at Ole Miss in 2022 after signing with the Rebels over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Cincinnati, and Michigan as a consensus four-star recruit.
Despite being ranked as the No. 6 prospect from Tennessee and No. 215 overall, based on 247Sports' rankings, Groves only made one appearance for coach Lane Kiffin over his two years with the Rebels from '22-23 before he made the switch full-time to basketball and transferred to Vol State.
I will miss the remainder of the year with a Torn ACL and Meniscus. I will also be shutting down my recruitment to make some tuff decisions about my future. The story continues….
#unoout — taylor groves (@iamtaylorgroves) December 19, 2025 Groves started all 30 games his first season with the Gallatin, Tenn. based Juco in 2024-25, leading the Pioneers with 19. 1 points and 6.