SE: K-State MBB Alum, Cancer Survivor Kyle Taylor Inspired by Hardwood Heroes Experience at Final Four
Apr 11, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Kyle Taylor lived out a dream last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he watched the men's NCAA Tournament's Final Four games on Saturday. The K-State men's basketball alum was there as a fan, but also because he wasn't supposed to be there.
He wasn't supposed to be alive.
In 2010, Taylor was given about a four percent chance to live another two years after he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a lethal form of brain cancer. He defied the odds through a rigorous treatment process that lasted two-plus years. This allowed him the opportunity to do so many bucket list items — get married, have children (three boys with his wife, Emily) and coach the sport he loves, basketball.
Last Friday, Taylor got the chance to step back onto the court with many who also fought cancer. The former Wildcat, a walk on from 2004-06, participated in the fourth annual Coaches Vs. Cancer Hardwood Heroes game at U.S. Bank Stadium, which consisted of two teams of 14 cancer survivors, doctors, nurses and researchers playing to raise awareness for cancer research.
"It was pretty inspiring just to hear other people's stories and what other people had gone through," he said of the game, sponsored by INFINITI, which donated $1 million to the American Cancer Society as part of its partnership with the NCAA and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). "It helps put things in perspective to know how other people have struggled, and maybe it can be an inspiration for somebody else that was watching on TV or sitting in the stands who might be going through the same thing, seeing other people that have survived and made it through the process.
"So, hopefully in the long run, it'll provide a little inspiration for others, as well as us as survivors just to be around each other and those caregivers that were there."
For Taylor, basketball and cancer are more connected than most.
Basketball has always been a big part of his life. His father, Terry, coached at Manhattan High School when Taylor was young and has won more than 600 games in Kansas, including a state title with Augusta in Taylor's senior season.
Taylor, now a math teacher at Abilene High School and assistant coach for his father, said he carried many of the lessons he learned in basketball with him in his fight with cancer.
"It's an everyday type of thing. If you're going through the treatments, you can't look ahead. You have to do what's important that day, just like with sports. You come into practice and you don't look ahead to the next five games. You take care of what you have to take care of for that opponent, that practice, that workout, and the same with the cancer treatments when I was doing my chemo," he said. "You have to take it one day at a time and see what the next challenge is the next day."
Cancer, he added, also shaped his perspective in a way basketball could not.
"When you're 25, you feel a little invincible and think things are perfect. I graduated from college, got a pretty good job teaching and coaching basketball, and things changed in a hurry," he said. "It kind of reminds you of what's really important. It helped me mature really quick just in what I value and what's most important — the people and the relationships. I cherish things and opportunities more and take less for granted because I realize how quickly things can change.
"Even looking at the numbers — because I had to search Glioblastoma to make sure I spelled it right to fill out some paperwork for the Hardwood Heroes game — when those stats pop up of how many people survive and the chances of survival, it kind of shocks you a little bit. It makes your heart sink a second as you read those and remember how blessed I've been."
Taylor shared this message with to K-State's men's team earlier this year when he spoke to the Wildcats before they clinched a share of the Big 12 Championship with a win against Oklahoma this season. He told the Wildcats about how, at age 25 without a shred of medical issues, his world turned upside down.
It happened the day after the Andover Central High School boys' team, which he was an assistant coach for at the time, won its sub-state tournament to earn a trip to state. Taylor collapsed at a friend's house a day later and had a seizure. A trip to the hospital revealed a tumor on the side of his brain, which he had surgery to remove on March 15, 2010. His cancer diagnosis came not long after.
A K-State fan since birth, Taylor remembered the Wildcats' 2010 run to the Elite Eight as a positive light during a dark time. This included radiation and chemotherapy treatments every day for six weeks. After that, he endured chemotherapy sessions for five straight days, once every 28 days. Taylor had MRIs regularly at first, then once every six months, eight months and 10 months. This year will mark his first with only one MRI every 12 months.
"Enjoying the moment is what I talked to them about, living in the moment and making the most of that day," he said of his speech to K-State, "just enjoying the environment and experience."
He followed his own advice in Minneapolis.
Following the Hardwood Heroes game last Friday, Taylor attended a banquet where INFINITI presented a $1 million donation to the American Cancer Society. He ended the day watching K-State senior Barry Brown, Jr., play in the Reese's College All-Star Game.
"I started the day and Barry ended the day…almost the same," Taylor laughed.
Taylor's Hardwood Heroes team was coached by Hall of Fame head coach Jim Calhoun; Bo Ryan led the other squad. The assistant coaches were Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph and national basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb, whom was the reason Taylor got interested in the game to begin with.
About three years ago, Taylor said, he was listening to one of Gottlieb's podcast while mowing his lawn and Gottlieb mentioned the Hardwood Heroes game.
"It sounded awesome to me, pretty exciting," Taylor said.
So, Taylor started reaching out to people to see how he could get involved, including K-State men's basketball recruiting coordinator Bailey Bachamp. She put in him in contact with some people involved with Coaches Vs. Cancer, which got the ball rolling.
While last year did not work out, Taylor got the call this year and did not hesitate to say yes. He took his wife with him, but only had one ticket to the Final Four games on Saturday until unexpectedly, he received an extra ticket from K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor. It only added to what the former Wildcat said was already an incredible few days.
"It was a really cool deal," he said. "It was pretty uplifting, the whole event."
Kyle Taylor lived out a dream last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he watched the men's NCAA Tournament's Final Four games on Saturday. The K-State men's basketball alum was there as a fan, but also because he wasn't supposed to be there.
He wasn't supposed to be alive.
In 2010, Taylor was given about a four percent chance to live another two years after he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a lethal form of brain cancer. He defied the odds through a rigorous treatment process that lasted two-plus years. This allowed him the opportunity to do so many bucket list items — get married, have children (three boys with his wife, Emily) and coach the sport he loves, basketball.
Last Friday, Taylor got the chance to step back onto the court with many who also fought cancer. The former Wildcat, a walk on from 2004-06, participated in the fourth annual Coaches Vs. Cancer Hardwood Heroes game at U.S. Bank Stadium, which consisted of two teams of 14 cancer survivors, doctors, nurses and researchers playing to raise awareness for cancer research.
"It was pretty inspiring just to hear other people's stories and what other people had gone through," he said of the game, sponsored by INFINITI, which donated $1 million to the American Cancer Society as part of its partnership with the NCAA and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). "It helps put things in perspective to know how other people have struggled, and maybe it can be an inspiration for somebody else that was watching on TV or sitting in the stands who might be going through the same thing, seeing other people that have survived and made it through the process.
"So, hopefully in the long run, it'll provide a little inspiration for others, as well as us as survivors just to be around each other and those caregivers that were there."
Basketball has always been a big part of his life. His father, Terry, coached at Manhattan High School when Taylor was young and has won more than 600 games in Kansas, including a state title with Augusta in Taylor's senior season.
Taylor, now a math teacher at Abilene High School and assistant coach for his father, said he carried many of the lessons he learned in basketball with him in his fight with cancer.
"It's an everyday type of thing. If you're going through the treatments, you can't look ahead. You have to do what's important that day, just like with sports. You come into practice and you don't look ahead to the next five games. You take care of what you have to take care of for that opponent, that practice, that workout, and the same with the cancer treatments when I was doing my chemo," he said. "You have to take it one day at a time and see what the next challenge is the next day."
Cancer, he added, also shaped his perspective in a way basketball could not.
"When you're 25, you feel a little invincible and think things are perfect. I graduated from college, got a pretty good job teaching and coaching basketball, and things changed in a hurry," he said. "It kind of reminds you of what's really important. It helped me mature really quick just in what I value and what's most important — the people and the relationships. I cherish things and opportunities more and take less for granted because I realize how quickly things can change.
"Even looking at the numbers — because I had to search Glioblastoma to make sure I spelled it right to fill out some paperwork for the Hardwood Heroes game — when those stats pop up of how many people survive and the chances of survival, it kind of shocks you a little bit. It makes your heart sink a second as you read those and remember how blessed I've been."
Taylor shared this message with to K-State's men's team earlier this year when he spoke to the Wildcats before they clinched a share of the Big 12 Championship with a win against Oklahoma this season. He told the Wildcats about how, at age 25 without a shred of medical issues, his world turned upside down.
It happened the day after the Andover Central High School boys' team, which he was an assistant coach for at the time, won its sub-state tournament to earn a trip to state. Taylor collapsed at a friend's house a day later and had a seizure. A trip to the hospital revealed a tumor on the side of his brain, which he had surgery to remove on March 15, 2010. His cancer diagnosis came not long after.
A K-State fan since birth, Taylor remembered the Wildcats' 2010 run to the Elite Eight as a positive light during a dark time. This included radiation and chemotherapy treatments every day for six weeks. After that, he endured chemotherapy sessions for five straight days, once every 28 days. Taylor had MRIs regularly at first, then once every six months, eight months and 10 months. This year will mark his first with only one MRI every 12 months.
"Enjoying the moment is what I talked to them about, living in the moment and making the most of that day," he said of his speech to K-State, "just enjoying the environment and experience."
He followed his own advice in Minneapolis.
Following the Hardwood Heroes game last Friday, Taylor attended a banquet where INFINITI presented a $1 million donation to the American Cancer Society. He ended the day watching K-State senior Barry Brown, Jr., play in the Reese's College All-Star Game.
"I started the day and Barry ended the day…almost the same," Taylor laughed.
Taylor's Hardwood Heroes team was coached by Hall of Fame head coach Jim Calhoun; Bo Ryan led the other squad. The assistant coaches were Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph and national basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb, whom was the reason Taylor got interested in the game to begin with.
About three years ago, Taylor said, he was listening to one of Gottlieb's podcast while mowing his lawn and Gottlieb mentioned the Hardwood Heroes game.
"It sounded awesome to me, pretty exciting," Taylor said.
So, Taylor started reaching out to people to see how he could get involved, including K-State men's basketball recruiting coordinator Bailey Bachamp. She put in him in contact with some people involved with Coaches Vs. Cancer, which got the ball rolling.
While last year did not work out, Taylor got the call this year and did not hesitate to say yes. He took his wife with him, but only had one ticket to the Final Four games on Saturday until unexpectedly, he received an extra ticket from K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor. It only added to what the former Wildcat said was already an incredible few days.
"It was a really cool deal," he said. "It was pretty uplifting, the whole event."
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