Grandmother shares heartbreak over teen killed after basketball tournament

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - 16-year-old Jakolbi Taylor from Roanoke died after a shooting in Myrtle Beach over the weekend.

Taylor’s journey with basketball began almost as soon as he could walk.

“I’ve always slept to a basketball, a basketball bouncing, a basketball goal, basketball up against the wall,” said his grandmother, Paula Basham.

No one believed in his athletic ability more than his grandmother. She raised him since he was born and was committed to making his dreams a reality.

Standing at the crossroads of adolescence and promise, Taylor’s height was a topic of debate between him and his grandmother.

“Oh, we argue on that all the time. So, he would say six feet, but we were eye to eye. So, I would say 5’11,” recalled Basham, highlighting his steadfast belief in himself.

Taylor and his family immersed themselves in the game, playing for two Roanoke traveling teams and excelling at Patrick Henry High School. Between practices and games, he dedicated himself to improvement, attending numerous training camps across the region.

“I have a calendar of places that we’re going, almost something every week from now, all the way up to September,” added Basham.

His recent trip with his grandmother to Myrtle Beach for an AAU tournament became a bittersweet memory as he scored 43 points in a standout performance.

“I was so proud of him in that game because he just kept going,” Basham remarked fondly.

But the joyous celebration of his success turned into unimaginable grief. Friday night, after the tournament, Taylor and his teammates ventured out, a typical teenage outing. It was there that his life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.

“He just wanted to go to the boardwalk. It’s what teenagers do. The boardwalk at the beach,” lamented Basham.

Myrtle Beach Police have not released many details.

“To me it looks like my grandson was running,” explained Basham. “So, that was a coward to shoot somebody in the back.”

Speculation abounds about the motive behind the attack, whether random or stemming from conflicts possibly tied to basketball rivalries.

“They’re 16. They’re not thinking that this is dangerous,” said his aunt, Briana Taylor. “So, just because they were out on the beach at night, my nephew deserved to die. I don’t even know why that’s a part of the conversation, honestly.”

The devastating loss has shattered his family, now seeking answers and closure amidst their profound grief.

“If anyone knows anything, we ask them to please come forward,” pleaded Briana. “We all deserve justice for my nephew’s murder.”

Jakolbi Taylor’s dream of reaching the NBA and providing for his family was tragically cut short.

“He was going to make a difference; he’s always had a special gift,” Basham affirmed.

As the community mourns the loss of a promising young talent, Taylor’s memory will endure as a testament to resilience, hope, and the enduring impact of a life taken too soon.