As many of you may know, Roland "Fatty" Taylor lost his battle to cancer and passed away on December 7, 2017. Who was Fatty? He was a father, grandfather, uncle, brother-in-law, husband, businessman, mentor, coach and to many, a very special friend.
Fatty, best known as an ABA and NBA basketball player, played five of the six seasons the Virginia Squires existed and was one of the American Basketball Association team's most popular players before being traded to Denver in 1974. He was teammates with future NBA superstars Julius Erving and George Gervin and is credited with giving Gervin his nickname "the Iceman." Fatty played for the Rockets in 1974-75 and one final season with the Denver Nuggets in 1976-77 before retiring.
But, I know Fatty as a mentor and coach for hundreds of youth. My grandsons grew up under the tutelage of Coach Fatty Taylor and attended his Taylor-Made Playaz Basketball Camp. He inspired hundreds of youth and was committed to Taylor-Made Playaz, a year-round basketball program that went beyond basketball with attempts to affect at-risk youth who need assistance academically and socially; with goals to help youth achieve their academic and social goals and help them lead productive lives.
With every passing and transition come challenges - personally and professionally - and this is no different. I, along with the Taylor Family and friends, seek your support to keep his legacy alive. In lieu of flowers and gifts, we are accepting donations to help establish a scholarship fund in his honor.
