To address the major positional needs following the departures of Brody Robinson and several others who left the Golden Grizzlies quite short in a lot of positions, the program wasted no time in getting to work. Oakland moved fast to grab two crucial guards right as the portal opened, ensuring they didn’t get left behind in the off-season shuffle.
These two lead guards are Ryder Bradley and RJ Taylor, and they are the two names that will likely define exactly how successful Oakland is next season. This isn’t just about filling seats on the bench; it’s a strategic reload. By picking these two up so quickly, the Golden Grizzlies have locked in a backcourt that balances veteran feel with young, explosive talent. If the team is going to make another run, it’s going to start with how these two handle the rock and lead the offense.
The homecoming: RJ Taylor and the weight of legacy
The first major finding for the Golden Grizzlies felt less like a recruitment and more like a homecoming. RJ Taylor, a native Michigan prospect from Grand Blanc High School, was a player who had been firmly on Oakland’s radar for years. Being a standout local talent just down the road, it was only a matter of time before his path crossed with the O’Rena.
The name Taylor already carries a ton of weight around here because his dad, Bob Taylor, used to be the head coach for the Oakland women’s team, leading them to a DII Final Four and leaving a huge mark on the program.
Looking at his measurements, RJ is 5’11” and about 175 lbs. He’s slightly undersized, which is something we’ve seen a lot at Oakland lately with guards like Brody or the Yeager twins. In today’s portal, height is expensive, so you have to find guys who make up for it with their brains, and that is exactly what RJ brings to the table.
On film, he does all the right things correctly. He isn’t the most explosive guard, but his basketball IQ is through the roof. What’s special is that he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be a threat. His off-ball movement is great as he knows how to use screens and go-screens to get to his spots.
Last season, he shot 37.9% from three, and almost 73% of those were assisted, showing he is primarily a surgical spot-up shooter. He doesn’t have that same on-ball juice or twitch that Brody Robinson had, so fans should not expect him to be creating everything off the dribble. Instead, expect him to find his separation through smart movement.
The big question mark is his injury history. Back in the 2024-25 season, he looked like he was about to boom, starting all eight games at Northern Iowa and averaging 7.5 points per game on 51.1% shooting. Then, a tragic Achilles injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.
This past season, due to that injury and a crowded backcourt, he was coming exclusively off the bench. Oakland is betting on him returning to that starter energy he showed before the injury. He’s a secure ball handler with a low turnover rate of 13.7% and a solid offensive rating of 109.5, making him a high-IQ gamble that could pay off huge in Oakland’s unique zone system.
The engine: Ryder Bradley and the Lone Star leap
While RJ brings the veteran feel, Ryder Bradley is the slightly more explosive engine. Coming in with three years of eligibility left, Bradley arrives as the Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year, which is a massive pickup for the Golden Grizzlies.
Ryder has a better size than RJ, listed at 6’2″ and roughly 180 lbs. He’s visibly more explosive and brings a different type of energy to the perimeter. Where RJ is a spot-up threat, Ryder is a consistent downhill threat who can finish in traffic. He has that offensive twitch you look for in a lead guard, and his crossover is nasty enough to genuinely take defenders off the bounce.
What stands out on tape is that he can score off the catch or the bounce, but he is also an amazing downhill passer. He forces the defense to collapse on him and then finds the open man. Wraparound passes, no-look dimes, Bradley seems to have a good grasp of it all. His stat line from last season is all-around solid, posting 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
He also proved to be active on the defensive end with 1.7 steals per game while shooting 35% from three with 52 makes. While his steal numbers show defensive playmaking flashes, the most evident part of his game right now is that offensive explosiveness and shot-making.
He isn’t a nuclear athlete, but he is great at filling lanes and has the potential to lock in at the top of the zone. If he fully commits to the defensive principles of Oakland’s unique zone system next season, those active hands will become an even bigger asset for the Grizzlies.
The fit: Why Bradley and Taylor work
When you look at these two findings together, you see a backcourt that covers all the bases. RJ Taylor is the safety valve who acts as the high-IQ, low-turnover guard who can light it up from deep if you leave him open. Ryder Bradley is the playmaker who provides the on-ball offensive twitch and the downhill pressure that the offense needs to stay dynamic.
Fit-wise, they both look like they will thrive in the Golden Grizzlies’ defensive system. RJ’s positioning and Ryder’s ability to disrupt passing lanes give Oakland two very different, but very effective, options at the point. Whether one starts and the other comes off the bench, or they play together, these are the two guys who will be carrying the load.
What now? The frontcourt crisis
Even though the backcourt is looking solid with Bradley and Taylor, there is a massive question regarding the bigs. The departures of Tuburu Naivalurua, Michael Houge, Nate Deer, and Isaac Garrett have left Oakland completely gutted in the paint.
Whether through graduation or the portal, the Golden Grizzlies are now quite short on size. A reliable rim protector and an anchor for the zone is still desperately needed. You can have the best guards in the league, but if you don’t have a big man to erase mistakes at the rim and grab boards, the unique zone system falls apart. The Golden Grizzlies will likely spend the rest of their time in the portal hunting for size to fill this void.
The signings of Taylor and Bradley are huge wins that address the immediate holes in the backcourt. They bring shooting, a local legacy, and conference-winning production. But the puzzle isn’t finished yet. Until the Grizzlies find a big man to anchor the middle, the success of this new-look guard duo will be the main story to watch. The New Guard is here; now the program just needs the new bigs to follow.