Spartans’ Taylor Sets Sights on NBA Draft

Marcus Taylor plans to forgo his final two seasons at Michigan State to make himself available for the NBA draft.

Taylor, who emerged this season as the Spartans’ go-to player, doesn’t plan to hire an agent and still could return to Michigan State.

“It’s not that I’m in a big hurry to leave MSU, because I have great respect for the coaches, players and university,” Taylor said in a statement released Tuesday by the school. “I’ve enjoyed my collegiate experience, especially the great support from the student body.... Becoming an NBA player has been one of my goals for a long time.”

Taylor led the Spartans this season, averaging 16.8 points and 5.3 assists. He was an All-Big Ten first-team selection.

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Frank Broyles, athletic director at Arkansas, received permission to talk with Kent State basketball Coach Stan Heath about replacing Nolan Richardson as the Razorbacks’ coach.

Lee Moon, Broyles’ counterpart at Wyoming, confirmed that Cowboy Coach Steve McClain is in the running for the Arkansas job.

Heath, 36, just finished his first season at Kent State, guiding the 10th-seeded Golden Flashes to the NCAA tournament’s South Regional final, where they lost to Indiana, 81-69.

Arkansas bought out Richardson’s contract this month.