### Celeste Taylor Joins Grand Canyon as Assistant Coach, Eyes WNBA Return in 2026

Former WNBA player, Celeste Taylor, has stepped into a new role as an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University. Taylor, who played for prestigious collegiate programs like Texas, Duke, and Ohio State, made her coaching debut after a rookie season in the WNBA with stints at Phoenix Mercury, Connecticut Sun, and Indiana Fever.

Drafted No. 15 overall by Indiana Fever in the 2024 draft, Taylor is recognized for her strong defensive skills. Throughout her WNBA journey, she played 15 games for the Phoenix Mercury, averaging 2.6 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 rebounds over approximately 15 minutes per game. Her season took a turn after a foot injury during her time with the Sydney Flames in the WNBL, leading to the early end of her season in Australia.

Despite attempting to recover while participating in the Mercury’s training camp, Taylor wasn’t fully active until the concluding preseason game. She was released during the final roster cuts ahead of the regular season. Taylor told ESPN she plans to dedicate the summer to recuperating from her injury, with hopes of a WNBA return in 2026.

In a conversation with ESPN, Taylor shared her reflective approach towards getting healthy. "There have been teams who wanted me to come back this season, and I think for me, it's trying to get healthy and trying to maintain in the space of being fit and looking at what's right for my body, listening to my body," she stated.

At Grand Canyon, Taylor reunites with former Duke assistant coach Winston Gandy, who has taken the helm after previous positions on coaching staffs at South Carolina and Duke. Coaching is a long-term ambition for Taylor, who has cherished working with younger players since her college days at camps.

"When the opportunity presented itself, it honestly worked out perfectly with timing and everything," Taylor remarked. "Once I had explained to [Gandy] what the situation is, of wanting to get healthy but also wanting to follow in this path of being a coach and having the opportunity of giving back to younger kids and being in that leadership role and just continuing to pour into student-athletes and give them the best experience, it's a no-brainer to take it."

Grand Canyon's women’s basketball program is on the rise, having clinched a national-best 30-game win streak last season and securing their first NCAA Division I tournament appearance. With former head coach Molly Miller moving on to Arizona State, Gandy stepped in from South Carolina, bringing Taylor along to support his vision.

"This is his first time as a head coach and it's at a program like GCU that's definitely up-and-coming and growing and a beautiful university, but I'm definitely grateful for him giving me the opportunity," Taylor expressed. "He wants to put the best people around him, so for him to look to me and believe in me, to be able to help him is a blessing."

Prior to her season with Phoenix, Taylor gained attention by playing for both the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun on back-to-back days in August, illustrating her adaptability. Embracing her coaching role reflects her ability to navigate the highs and lows of a dynamic career.

"The journey that I've been on, it's never linear," Taylor said. "There's a lot of up-and-down, so just being ready for everything, but at the same time, I feel like it has grown me into the person that I am today. I'm honestly just grateful for everything that I've been through."