Karen Taylor – “KT” to many of her friends – was an star Tiger basketball player who then attended Jackson State University where she was a member of teams that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (“SWAC”) tournaments in 1982, 1983 and 1984, and the SWAC championship outright in 1982 and 1983. She was selected to the All-SWAC Team and continues to hold the Jackson State record for the most rebounds in a game (25).

Taylor was named an All-American and invited to trials for the United States Olympics team. She is the fourth leading scorer in JSU history, and is honored by membership in the JSU Hall of Fame. She is the mother of NBA Raptors player, Stanley Johnson.