Drafted 12th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2016 NBA Draft, Taurean Prince has solidified his reputation as an elite 3-and-D wing player over the course of his NBA career.
In the initial NBA years, Prince faced the typical struggles of a young player trying to find his footing in the NBA, playing only 59 games in his rookie season. However, Prince soon carved out his niche as a versatile two way wing player for the Hawks.
On defense, he embraced the responsibility of guarding the best offensive player on the opposing team; while on offense, he could drive and score through the contact and had a soft shooting touch.
As a modern day wing player, Taurean Prince had a great two way impact with the Hawks which is why Brooklyn Nets traded for him in 2019. Ever since that trade, Prince mostly played as an off-the-bench impact player, averaging just over 10 points per game.
After playing for Brooklyn, Cleveland, and Minnesota, Prince found a new home with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 free agency, where he quickly became a vital component of the team's rotation as a 3-and-D wing player.
The 2023/24 NBA season has been a sort of resurgence in Prince's career. After three seasons primarily coming off the bench, he again earned a starting role with the Lakers and has thrived as a volume three-point shooter, maintaining an impressive 38.6% shooting percentage from the distance.
Related: Taurean Prince Contract
Taurean Prince College
Taurean Prince played college basketball for Baylor University, where he played for the Bears basketball team for four years. Despite not entering college basketball with a five-star rating, Prince steadily progressed and evolved into a versatile two-way player.
In his freshman season, Prince came off the bench for 24 games, averaging 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in just 6.4 minutes per game. For the following sophomore year, Prince was on the Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll. While still utilized as a reserve, his minutes increased a bit, resulting in averages of 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game.
Prince truly made his mark in his junior year, featuring in all 38 of Baylor's games in a crucial sixth man role. Enjoying more substantial playing time — 26.3 minutes per game, Prince showcased significant improvement by averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds.
His shooting abilities also flourished in the third season with Baylor, with an amazing 39.5% success rate from the distance, making 1.8 threes per game out of 4.6 attempts. These impressive performances earned Taurean Prince the “Big 12 Sixth Man Award” in 2014/15 and also garnered the all-conference honors.
Entering his senior year, Prince finally earned a starting role, appearing in all 34 games while solidifying himself as an elite two-way 3-and-D wing. With averages of 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, Prince demonstrated his ability to impact the game on both ends of the court.
Taurean Prince eventually declared for the 2016 NBA draft at a time when all the NBA teams were seeking versatile two-way players with a strong defensive presence and three-point shooting abilities. This made him a coveted prospect, and he was selected as the 12th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks, marking the start of his professional career.
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FAQ's on Taurean Prince college
A. Taurean Prince played college ball at Baylor University. He played four years for the Baylor Bears from 2012 to 2016.
A. The Lakers shooter stands at 6 ft 6 inches tall.
A. No. Taurean Prince is yet to win a ring, as of December 2024.
A. Taurean Prince's career-high is 38 points. He achieved that mark on two different occasions while playing for the Atlanta Hawks.
