Phil Taylor

Joined: Dec 11, 2013

Senior writer, Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated senior writer Phil Taylor has covered a variety of sports in his more than two decades with the magazine, including pro and college basketball as well as college football. He has written The Hot Button column for SI.com and frequently writes the magazine's Point After column, for which he won a National Headliner Award in 2012. During his years as the magazine's lead NBA writer, Taylor profiled many of the league's stars. Among his most memorable stories were a piece on Michael Jordan's return from baseball to the NBA and an in-depth profile of reclusive Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton. Some of the historic sports events he has covered include the earthquake-struck 1989 World Series at Candlestick Park, Chris Webber's infamous timeout in the 1993 NCAA tournament title game and Jordan's epic "flu-game" in the 1997 NBA Finals. Prior to joining SI, Taylor began his career at the Miami Herald, where he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for feature writing. He has also written for the San Jose Mercury News and the now-defunct sports daily, The National. Born in Flushing, N.Y. and raised on Long Island, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College in 1982 and a Masters in communications from Stanford University in 1983. Taylor and his wife, who have three children, live in northern California.

NBA

A Dash Of Lemon Zest: SI Vault looks back at the life of Meadowlark Lemon

NFL

The Disappearing Man: The Raider who went missing before Super Bowl

Sportsperson

The case for Simone Biles for SI's 2015 Sportsman of the Year

MLB

Harvey’s heroics for naught as Collins’s Game 5 decision backfires

MLB

World Series title in sight for Royals after another trademark rally

The eighth-inning comeback that devastated the New York Mets, that left them wondering how they could be bleeding so badly from the Royals’ little cuts, was nothing new for Kansas City. Late-inning rallies are their specialty.

MLB

'It's a Series now': Energized Mets have momentum as barbs fly

The Mets' win in Game 3 of the World Series gave them a great chance at pushing the Fall Classic back to Kansas City, and it also included an incident that opened up a war of words with the Royals.

MLB

Mysterious Cespedes has suddenly vanished when Mets need him most

Yoenis Cespedes helped spur the Mets to the playoffs, but he has cooled off in October. New York's championship hopes depend largely on whether he can heat up again.

MLB

After frustrating loss, Mets confident deGrom will come through in Game 2

Despite their Game 1 loss, the Mets are confident Game 2 starter Jacob deGrom will send the World Series back to Citi Field tied at one-game apiece.

MLB

David Price’s postseason demons haunt him again in Jays’ Game 2 loss

David Price cannot overcome his postseason struggles as the Blue Jays drop Game 2 of the ALCS to the Kansas City Royals

MLB

Encarnacion injury, Tulo slump concerning for Jays after Game 1 loss

The Blue Jays should not panic, but should be concerned after their ALCS Game 1 loss to Royals with Edwin Encarnacion banged up and Troy Tulowitzki in a continued slump

MLB

Young talent is growing up—and giving the Mets championship hope

The Mets defeated the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS and have their sights on a World Series title

NBA

LeBron James adds to legend in Cavs' stunning Game 2 win over Warriors

LeBron James adds to his legend by carrying the Cleveland Cavaliers to a crucial Game 2 win over the Golden State Warriors.