Roland Morris "Fatty" Taylor (March 13, 1946 – December 7, 2017) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'0" (1.83 m) guard born in Washington, D.C., Taylor played college basketball at Dodge City Community College (1965–1967) and La Salle University (1967–1969). He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 12th round (167th overall) of the 1969 NBA Draft but began his professional career in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Career Overview
Taylor joined the ABA in 1969 with the Washington Capitals. After one season, he moved to the Virginia Squires, where he spent the prime of his career, recording 3,495 points, 1,737 assists, and 1,715 rebounds over five seasons. He was known as one of the few standout defensive players in a league characterized by a fast-paced, offense-oriented style. Taylor was named to the ABA All-Defensive First Team in 1973 and 1974.
During his time with the Squires, Taylor played alongside notable players including Adrian Smith, Jim Eakins, Julius "Dr. J" Erving, and George Gervin. Taylor is credited with coining Gervin's nickname "The Iceman," having first called Gervin "Iceberg Slim," which later evolved into the more widely known moniker.
Taylor spent the 1974–1975 season with the Denver Nuggets (ABA), returned to the Virginia Squires for 1975–1976, and played his final season (1976–1977) in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets. He retired in 1977 with combined ABA/NBA career totals of 5,098 points, 2,563 assists, and 2,524 rebounds in 640 games, averaging 8.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Later Life and Death
In 2000, Taylor was diagnosed with male breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. The cancer recurred in his lungs and bones in 2011, and later spread to his pelvis. He died from complications of the disease on December 7, 2017, in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 71.
