SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: King of the Court

Khari Taylor has just a few months remaining in his time at Brooklyn Friends School and it all seems to be happening so quickly. Khari, who is midway through just his second year since arriving at BFS, has made a deep impact on this community—on campus and off. That feeling, he is quick to point out, is very mutual.

“It’s been amazing since Day 1,” Khari said. “Being at BFS has exposed me to people who really love you and want to see you grow. I think the biggest thing I will take away from this school is the power of community here.”

One community that Khari slipped into very easily here at BFS is the basketball community. It is a passion that has earned him the right to compete on the court here at BFS—as well as on the biggest stage in Brooklyn basketball. Already a star for the Panthers, Khari was exposed to a great opportunity to work with the Brooklyn Nets as a Team Attendant, thanks to his longtime friendship with BFS’ Director of Athletic Operations & Management, David Gardella—who coached Khari as a young player at Camp Friendship—and put in the good word to people he knows at the Nets. Khari also was a Team Attendant for the New York Liberty in 2023.

“The Nets gave me a chance as a high school kid,” said Khari, who has just reached his one-year anniversary with Brooklyn. Among his responsibilities is working with players during pregame warmups, including rebounding during the pregame shoot-around, and in a number of ways during and after the game with anything that the team might need.

One of the most exciting things for Khari, other than being on the court with the greatest basketball players in the world, is witnessing all that goes into making an NBA game go.

“I think working with the players is a great experience, but I also think it is great to see how many roles and responsibilities that go on around the players that go into the NBA,” Khari said. “I think that is probably the coolest thing for me. From agents, to player coaches, to front office people, that’s the best part of my job—seeing how there’s more than just being on the hardwood.”

Back on the hardwood of the Pearl Street Lower Gym, Khari leaves his NBA friends behind and plays his own brand of exciting basketball. “I’ve been playing basketball since I was around two years old,” he said. “Growing up, I always had a basketball in my hands and had a mini-hoop that I would shoot on. I went to Camp Friendship (when he was 5), which is where I met Coach Fish [Robert McCrae] and Coach Dave, and that kind of kickstarted my passion for the game.”

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Khari is how basketball has inspired him to dive into other passions, such as music and fashion.

“I love the culture that comes with the sport,” he said. “For me, basketball is heavily intertwined with things like music and fashion. Not even about specific clothing, but a specific style and that has defined me in a big way. It’s been a way for me to express myself off the court.”

Khari can even see himself in this world after graduating from college. His dream is to have his own brand and the ability to influence and assist others that share his passions.

“I would love to be a sports agent, but less of a sports agent and more of a creative agent that helps players not only with basketball, and day-to-day, but with brands, dressing up and dressing down in formal wear and loungewear.”

There seems to be little doubt that the chance of Khari Taylor achieving these dreams—considering his work ethic and clear vision—will hit nothing but net!

“Khari has been passionate about basketball since I met him as a 5-year-old,” Coach Dave said. “It is great to see him excel—not only on the court—but in so many exciting ways. More than anything, he has grown into a great young man, with unlimited potential and a vibrant future ahead.”