Selected in the NBA by Michael Jordan, the U-BT Cluj-Napoca player remembered his first meeting with the Chicago Bulls legend: “The whole room froze”

In the summer of 2025, one of the biggest surprises for U-BT Cluj-Napoca fans was the transfer of Jeffery Taylor, a 36-year-old basketball player with dual citizenship, Swedish and American.

“Jeffery Taylor who played 7 seasons at Real Madrid?“, black and white supporters wondered. “Jeff Taylor, 2018 Euroleague winner, signed in Romania?”, was another question that illustrated the amazement of U-BT supporters.

Jeffery Taylor was fascinated by the fans of U-BT Cluj-Napoca: “They are great”

The news was true: after 3 seasons in Lithuania, at Wolves Vilnius, Taylor made the decision to sign with U-BT Cluj-Napoca, a team that was going to play for the first time in the Adriatic League, in addition to the BKT EuroCup.

“I have been to Romania several times, but I was positively surprised by Cluj. It's a very nice city, very nice people, great restaurants and you have everything you need. It's a very good situation”, said the veteran of U-BT, in an exclusive interview for GSP.ro.

“I think there are solid conditions. It's very good, especially in Cluj. We have a beautiful arena and the fans are great. I honestly think they are some of the best supporters I've met on this journey, in my career. They were with us even when it was snowing and it was impossible to drive through Cluj. I had a lot of fans at the matches. That shows we have fantastic support. Obviously, there are always things to develop, but I think the club is very strong,” added Taylor.

3Jeffery Taylor has points per game at U-BT Cluj-Napoca, along with 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists

Jeffery Taylor, foreground/Photo: u-bt.basketball

Jeffery was born in Norrkoping, Sweden on May 23, 1989, where his father, Jeff, was playing after a few seasons in the NBA. He started playing basketball at the age of 6, in the junior teams of the Norrkoping Dolphins club, and quickly fell in love with the sport.

“I don't remember ever thinking about doing anything else. I've always wanted to play basketball, I've loved the sport, it's been my priority since the beginning,” Taylor explained.

Jeffery Taylor inspired by his father: 'I miss him every day, he was a huge influence'

Growing up in the heyday of the Chicago Bulls, who won 6 titles in the 90s, Jeff used Michael Jordan as an example. But the biggest impact on him was his father.

“He had a huge influence on me. He passed away in 2020 and I miss him daily, I miss the basketball and life talks. But he instilled in me this spirit of going hard and always trying to do things to help my team win. I think that has stayed with me,” said the black-and-white veteran.

His father also instilled in him a passion for defense, and for that reason defense will always be a priority for Jeff: “I love defending against the best player on the opposing team. I relish the challenge.”

At 15, Taylor moved to the United States and experienced a first culture shock. As a child and teenager, he only spoke Swedish, so he had to learn very quickly to communicate in English.

He entered Hobbs High School in Hobbs, New Mexico, and continued to play basketball. “At the high school level, basketball is very developed in the USA. We had two, three thousand fans at every home game. It was a wonderful experience,” Taylor revealed.

Jeffery Taylor, selected in the NBA by the Charlotte Bobcats/Photo: Imago Images

Jeffery Taylor, drafted into the NBA by Michael Jordan's team: “A day I will never forget”

After high school, he played 4 seasons for Vanderbilt University and then in 2012 was drafted into the NBA by the Charlotte Bobcats (now Charlotte Hornets) with the 31st overall pick.

“It was a unique experience. One of the best and most stressful days of my life. It was a day I will never forget,” Jeff recalled. In addition, at that time, the team in Charlotte was already owned by Michael Jordan, his idol.

“It was amazing. The first few times I met him it was…I can't even explain it, it felt like I met Michael Jackson. It didn't seem real. He has that aura taken to the extreme, it's crazy“, Taylor recounted.

“He didn't give me any advice. He's very modest, he talks about normal things, he teases the boys. He's a workaholic,” he added.

After 3 seasons spent in the NBA and G-League, during which Taylor failed to establish himself in the North American basketball league, he decided to continue his career in Europe, at Real Madrid, who had just won the Euroleague.

“European basketball is very different than in the States. It was a transition. Madrid had kept almost all the players, while I was new. I had to learn how to adapt, how to get minutes and how to help the team,” explained Taylor.

Jeffery Taylor, in Real Madrid jersey/Photo: euroleaguebasketball.net

Jeffery Taylor impressed by ex-Real Madrid teammate: 'One of the most talented players'

Pablo Laso, Real Madrid's coach at the time, helped the Swedish basketball player a lot, and Sergio Llull, one of Los Blancos' captains, took him under his wing:

“Sergio is one of my very good friends. We had many long talks. We were very close and that's why I say chemistry is always super important. We had a very close team and they made sure to keep the same players because of the success we had.”

Taylor also named him Andres Nocioni, Felipe Reyes, Facu Campazzo and talked about the legendary Rudy Fernandez:

“He's one of the most talented players I've seen in my life. Being in the same position, I admired his intelligence, the way he saw the game. I learned a lot from him.”

Jeff Taylor also caught Luka Doncic at Real Madrid and was part of the team that, in 2018, managed to win the Euroleague, after a final with Fenerbahce Istanbul, score 85-80. “It was an incredible feeling,” confessed the 2.01 meter winger.

Jeffery Taylor reveals the secret of U-BT Cluj-Napoca: “We play for each other”

In 2022, Taylor left Real Madrid and signed with Wolves Vilnius, a team founded that year. He stayed in the capital of Lithuania for 3 seasons and contributed to its success in the EuroCup, but in 2025, after the disbandment of the formation, he accepted the offer of U-BT Cluj-Napoca.

“I think we have achieved every goal so far. We are in the play-offs in the EuroCup. It was difficult, I was in a good group and it was a big challenge. Our schedule was very complicated, especially playing in parallel in the ABA League. But we are in the play-offs and here anything can happen. It's just one game, we're happy about it, we're on the right track,” said Taylor, who praised the mental resilience of his team.

“The guys really want to win. We play for each other. We all get along really well. I think we have really good chemistry. Obviously, there are some things we need to improve on as we move forward in the season. But I think the main quality is that we have great chemistry and a lot of individual talent,” added the 36-year-old.

Taylor believes the good relationships within the team have helped them get through the tough times, the January losing streak and the many moves they've made.

“Even in the games we lost, maybe except for the one against Dubai, we were close and had the opportunity to win because we fought. We play for each other and to win“, concluded the veteran of U-BT Cluj-Napoca.

Jeffery Taylor, defending on Mike James/Photo: euroleaguebasketball.net

Florentino Perez's gesture to Jeffery Taylor: “One of the first people to call me”

At the end of the interview, Jeffery Taylor answered a few more questions.

– What is your fondest memory from the NBA?
– Maybe the first time I met Michael Jordan. We were training in August and he came in to watch the training. The whole hall froze. Looking at him you can tell that he is a different kind, a different man. This is definitely one of my favorite memories.

– What do you think makes Real Madrid such a successful club, not only in basketball, but also in football and other sports?
– I think it starts at the top. Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid, is a great person. When my children were born, he was among the first people to call to congratulate me. Even though he has probably a million things to do and manage, he takes the time to care about his players.

– Wow!
– We have excellent managers, deputy managers, technical staff. Then the way they choose the players and build the teams is very good. I do this in football too. They feel very well what they lack and know how to get it.

Jeffery Taylor, in Real Madrid jersey/Photo: euroleaguebasketball.net

– How was it to represent the Swedish national team at the European Championship in 2013?
– I had fun at EuroBasket.

– You were among the best scorers of the tournament, you had more than 21 points per game.
– Yes, that's what I'm saying. It was always great to play, from U15 to senior level. Obviously, in 2013 I played for the last time, but I also performed a lot in juniors. Every summer we were away, going to camps with my friends and playing in European championships. It is a great honor to represent your country. EuroBasket 2013 was a fantastic tournament for me.

– What are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
– I am a convinced family man. I love spending time with my daughters and son. When I have time, I also play video games. I still have a few businesses to manage, but I don't have much time for others.

– One last question: who wins the Euroleague this year?
– Fenerbahce looks very good, but my heart is always with Real Madrid. I hope they make it to the Final Four and then anything can happen.
– Thank you very much!

Jeff Taylor's track record