By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Lapwai HS in Idaho continues to be a feeder program to college basketball programs. Emmit Taylor III is a former student-athlete at Lapwai HS. He is a 6-5, sophomore, shooting guard at North Idaho College. The current team record is 14-1. He is averaging 14 ppg, 2 apg, and 3.5 rbp.
At the end of the year, North Idaho College defeated Cochise College 88-84 in the third game of the Aztec Winter Classic hosted by Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ. Emmit scored a game-high 22 points including six-three pointers. He also made two key free throws at the end to seal the victory.
Emmit is Yakama/NezPerce from Lapwai, ID. His mother’s name is Rhonda Taylor and she is enrolled Yakama and from White Swan, WA. His father’s name is Emmit Taylor Jr. and is enrolled NezPerce and from Lapwai, ID. They both live currently in Lapwai, ID.
“I’m from a small town on a reservation that has signed to play at the Division 1 level next year,” said Emmit. “I have signed my letter of intent to play for Idaho State University.”
“Being from a small town and the culture that is being taught drives me to try to be the best student athlete that I can be,” said Emmit. “I have little siblings and relatives that look up to me. Being the best version of a student-athlete is a responsibility that I have put upon myself to show them that being Native American and being successful at the college level is possible, even coming from a small town on the NezPerce Reservation. The culture that I was raised in has taught me a lot, it has taught me to never forget where I come from and it has shaped me into the student athlete that I am today.”
“My father has been a huge positive influence that helped and benefited me as an athlete,” said Emmit. “My first memories as a kid is traveling with my dad to Native American men tournaments throughout the northwest. Being around basketball at a young age has made me fall in love with the game and have a passion for the game. He taught me a lot about basketball and was my first basketball coach. He has a huge part of the basketball player that I am today, and not only on the basketball side, but he also has a huge part of the kind of person I am too.”
“We call our son ‘Mitaat’ which means ‘three’ in the Nez Perce language,” said Emmit, Jr. “His grandpa gave him that name since he is the third, Emmit Taylor III.”
“Mitaat has always been a gym rat and basketball has been his thing ever since he has been a little boy. We would do other activities like hunting and fishing, but basketball was always his favorite. He always worked hard. For years we would get up and go to the gym at 6am to get extra shots up and work on his game,” said Emmit, Jr.
“Mitaat always wanted to take the big shot at the end of the game, he never shied away from it,” said Emmit, Jr. “He just always had that confidence about him. He won many games by stepping up and knocking down last second shots to win the game. I remember our semifinal game when he was a senior at Lapwai HS, and we were down by 14 points going into half-time and he didn’t have any points. He came out and scored 19 points in the third quarter and led the team to win, play in the championship, and win their second consecutive state title.”
“He has always been humble as well. He takes the time to shake hands with elders and remembers where he comes from,” added Emmit, Jr.
“One other person that had a positive influence on me is my cousin Trevon Allen,” said Emmit. “Trevon is currently a senior at the University of Idaho. He had an influence on me because he is also from Lapwai and he’s being successful at the Division 1 level. He has given me confidence that I can also make it at that level and to be successful at that level.”
“Advice I would give to other student athletes is to never give up on your dreams and to always work hard to be able to reach your dreams,” said Emmit. “I am a perfect example of hard work. I believe working hard will give you opportunities to be able to reach your goals. I worked hard for a year and a half at North Idaho College and I put myself in a great situation to be recruited by multiple Division 1 schools and having the opportunity to sign Division 1. I always had the dream of playing D1 basketball ever since I was a little kid and I knew working hard would create opportunities if I stuck with it and I never gave up on my dream.”
Photo Credit: Zach Eastman