Tayshaun Prince facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tayshaun Prince

Prince with the Detroit Pistons in 2008
Memphis Grizzlies
Vice President of Basketball Affairs
Personal information
Born	(1980-02-28) February 28, 1980 (age 45) Compton, California, U.S.
High school	Dominguez (Compton, California)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (1998–2002)
NBA Draft	2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23rd overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career	2002–2016
League	NBA
Career history
2002–2013	Detroit Pistons
2013–2015	Memphis Grizzlies
2015	Boston Celtics
2015	Detroit Pistons
2015–2016	Minnesota Timberwolves
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2004) 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2005–2008) Consensus second-team All-American (2001) Second-team All-American – NABC (2002) Third-team All-American – AP (2002) SEC Player of the Year (2001) SEC tournament MVP (2001) McDonald's All-American (1998) Second-team Parade All-American (1998) California Mr. Basketball (1998)
Career NBA statistics
Points	11,272 (11.1 ppg)
Rebounds	4,332 (4.3 rpg)
Assists	2,406 (2.4 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing National Team FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2007 Las Vegas National Team

Tayshaun Durell Prince (born February 28, 1980) is an American basketball executive and former player. He played as a small forward and was known for his strong defense. Prince is 6-foot-9-inch (2.06 m) tall. He went to Dominguez High School and then played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. In 2002, the Detroit Pistons picked him 23rd in the 2002 NBA draft. He helped the Pistons win an NBA championship in 2004.

College Basketball Career

Tayshaun Prince played four seasons for the Kentucky Wildcats from 1998 to 2002. He was a key player, averaging 13.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. During his time, the Wildcats had a great record of 97 wins and 39 losses. They also made it to the NCAA Tournament every year.

In his junior year (2000–2001), Prince was named SEC Player of the Year. He also led the SEC in free throw percentage, making 84.3% of his shots. He was chosen for the Associated Press All-SEC Teams in both his junior and senior years. Kentucky won the SEC Tournament in 1999 and 2001. Prince was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2001 tournament. He was also the team's MVP three times.

Prince had some amazing games in college. In one game against North Carolina, he scored 31 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had four assists and four steals. He even scored Kentucky's first fifteen points by making five three-point shots in a row! Another memorable game was in the 2002 NCAA Tournament against Tulsa. Prince scored a career-high 41 points, helping Kentucky reach the Sweet 16. He earned a degree in sociology from Kentucky in 2002.

College Statistics

College Awards and Honors

• SEC Player of the Year (2001)
• Consensus second team All-American (2001)
• NABC All-American Second Team (2002)
• AP All-American Third Team (2002)
• First Team All-SEC (2001, 2002)
• SEC Tournament MVP (2001)
• SEC All-Tournament Team (2001)

Professional Basketball Career

Detroit Pistons: Rookie Season and Championship (2002–2004)

When Tayshaun Prince started his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons in 2002, he didn't play much at first. He only appeared in 42 regular-season games. But things changed in the 2003 NBA playoffs. The Pistons were losing to the Orlando Magic, so their coach, Rick Carlisle, gave Prince more playing time. Prince stepped up and became the only player in NBA history to score more points in the playoffs than in the regular season that year.

The Pistons came back to win that series. Prince had a huge game, scoring 20 points in just 24 minutes in the final game. He continued to play well in the next round against the Philadelphia 76ers. He even made a game-tying shot that sent one game into overtime, which the Pistons won.

After that season, Larry Brown became the new coach. Under Brown, Prince became the Pistons' starting small forward. His scoring average jumped from 3.3 points as a rookie to 10.3 points per game. In the 2003–04 season, he was also chosen to play in the NBA Rookie Challenge for second-year players.

Prince made a famous defensive play in Game 2 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. In the last minute, he made an amazing block on Pacers star Reggie Miller, which helped the Pistons win the game. The Pistons went on to win that series and then the NBA championship. Prince's tough defense on Lakers star Kobe Bryant was a big reason for their win. He held Bryant to only 11 points in one game of the NBA Finals. During a challenging game incident in 2004, Prince was the only player who stayed on the bench.

Detroit Pistons: All-Defensive Team Years (2004–2008)

Tayshaun Prince kept getting better in the 2004–05 season. He set new personal bests in points (14.7 per game), rebounds (5.3 per game), assists (3.0), and blocks (0.9). He was chosen for the NBA's NBA All-Defensive Second Team because of his excellent defense.

The Pistons made it back to the NBA Finals in 2005, but they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. Because of his great play, the Pistons gave Prince a new five-year contract worth $49 million in 2005.

In the 2005–06 season, Prince played in all 82 regular season games. He averaged 14.1 points and 4.2 rebounds. In the playoffs, the Pistons lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Prince scored a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 5 of that series.

He continued to play consistently in the 2006–07 season, averaging 14.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. The Pistons were again eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals, this time by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Prince with the Pistons in April 2008

In the 2007–08 season, Prince started all 82 regular season games. He averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. In the playoffs, the Pistons lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Detroit Pistons: Later Years (2008–2013)

Prince started the 2008–09 season very well, averaging almost 16 points and seven rebounds. While his scoring dipped a bit later, he ended the season with a career-high average in rebounds per game. His efforts helped the Pistons reach the playoffs as the 8th seed. However, they faced the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and were swept in four games. Prince's performance in the playoffs that year was lower than his regular season averages.

Memphis Grizzlies (2013–2015)

Prince with the Grizzlies

On January 30, 2013, Tayshaun Prince was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. This trade was part of a bigger deal involving three teams. Prince's style of play, known for strong defense, fit perfectly with the Grizzlies' "Grit-N-Grind" team spirit. The Grizzlies had their best record ever that season, with 56 wins and 26 losses. They also made their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals.

Even though he had an injury before the season, Prince still played in 76 games in 2013–14. He averaged 6.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. These numbers were some of the lowest of his career, but he continued to be a valuable player.

Boston Celtics (2015)

On January 12, 2015, Prince was traded to the Boston Celtics in another three-team deal. He made his debut for the Celtics on January 26. Coming off the bench, he scored 19 points and had 5 assists, helping the Celtics win against the Utah Jazz.

Return to Detroit (2015)

Just over a month later, on February 19, 2015, Prince was traded back to the Detroit Pistons. This was a special moment for him, returning to the team where he had won a championship.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2015–2016)

On August 20, 2015, Prince signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played his first game for them on October 28, recording 2 points and 2 rebounds in a close win.

Tayshaun Prince played his final NBA game on April 11, 2016, against the Houston Rockets. He finished his playing career with a long and successful run in the NBA.

National Team Career

On August 20, 2007, Tayshaun Prince was chosen to play for Team USA. They competed in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, which was a tournament to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Prince's strong defense helped the USA team win every game in the tournament. This earned them a spot in the 2008 Olympics.

On June 23, 2008, Prince was selected for the Olympic team. The team hoped to win their first gold medal since the 2000 Summer Olympics. Team USA did exactly that! They won every game in the tournament. Prince often came off the bench to help the team. In the final game, they defeated Spain, who were the 2006 World Champions. This team was famously known as the "Redeem Team" because they brought the gold medal back to the USA.

Executive Career

After his playing career, Tayshaun Prince joined the Memphis Grizzlies again. On August 15, 2017, he became a special assistant to the general manager. Then, on April 27, 2019, the Grizzlies promoted him to Vice President of Basketball Affairs. This means he now helps make important decisions for the team behind the scenes.

Honors and Achievements

• 2004 NBA champion
• 2005–2008 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Gold medal with U.S. national team at 2007 FIBA Americas Championship
• Gold medal with U.S. national team at 2008 Summer Olympics
• 2022 - Selected for the 2022 Southern California Basketball Hall of Fame (SCBBHOF)

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season

Playoffs

Images for kids

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  Prince with the Detroit Pistons in 2008

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  Prince with the Pistons in April 2008

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  Prince with the Grizzlies

In Spanish: Tayshaun Prince para niños