Taurean Prince, Senior, Baylor, Forward, 6’8, 220
(2014-15, 26.3 mpg) 13.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.0 tpg
47.2 FG%, 64.4 FT%, 39.5 3FG%, 57.1 TS%, 55.6 eFG%
27.9 USG%, 8.1 OREB%, 16.1 DREB%, 12.2 TRB%, 12.1 AST%, 3.6 STL%, 3.9 BLK%
DOB: 8/22/1994 (21) Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
2015 Second Team All-Big 12
2015 Big 12 Sixth Man Award
2015 Pan Am Games – US Team
The Watch List is not meant to replace full scouting reports and is only meant as a guide for who and what to watch for this upcoming season
As one of the top sixth men in the country, Prince had a breakout year, leading the Bears in scoring and steals. With two of the top 4 leading scorers gone, Prince will be counted on to play an even bigger role. Long and lanky, the 6’8 Prince has good size for the wing, with a developing, versatile offensive game. Prince continued to improve as a long-range shooter, his 39 percent from behind the arc was a career high, and he had 8 games with at least 3 made three-pointers. His size allows him good looks on the perimeter, and he has smoothed out his shooting motion to make it more fluid, with a high, quick release. Like most, he is better shooting off the catch, though he did show some ability to knock jumpers down off the dribble. Prince was also a good option in pick-and-pop situations, opening to the ball quickly and getting a shot off before the defense could recover. Prince is an average ballhandler, and though he uses both hands well, he is much more of a threat going to his right hand. There isn’t much flashy to his dribbling, and he relies on long strides to beat his defender to the rim, often after a good shot fake beyond the arc, though he can get a bit ahead of himself, and was called for a good number of travels last season for taking his first step after the fake before the dribble. Prince showed good body control while driving to the basket, though he doesn’t have the strength to finish through contact, and he prefers to avoid help defenders altogether, often taking his layup attempts from outside the lane, using angles and the backboard well to score. On occasion, Prince will try to post up when he has a good match-up, and though he doesn’t go to many traditional post moves, he tries to use his long strides to get to the rim quick, often out of a face-up. His size often allows him to see over the defense, and he has shown some skill as a distributor, including in drive-and-kick situations. Prince runs the floor well and has the ability to push the ball in transition or run one of the wings, looking for a pass as he runs to the rim, where he can finish strong. He is also very good at crashing the offensive glass, using his length to keep balls alive, and he’s a threat to make a play charging in from the perimeter, especially in transition. With a near 7-foot wingspan, Prince has the ability to be disruptive on defense, using his length to challenge shots and play passing lanes. As they usually do, Baylor played a good amount of zone last season, and though Prince could have made an impact with his length, he often seemed to be going through the motions, arms down at his side, and no real burst to cover ground quickly. He was a bit improved in man-to-man situations, though almost all areas of his defensive technique need work. He does react well off the ball, and you can’t throw lazy passes around him, as his length allows him to cause turnovers easily. Prince can be a good rebounder on defense, looking to get into position and putting a body on someone, though he doesn’t have ideal strength to battle regularly, relying more on athletic ability and his long arms.
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What he needs to show this season: Prince improved in most areas last season, but there are still many key areas for him to work on. Continuing to show consistency with his long-range shooting, while also showing that he can knock down mid-range shots consistently will be important, especially since he does have some problems scoring around the basket against shot-blockers, and he lacks the speed burst off the dribble to beat help defenders to the rim. Prince does compensate well with his long strides and his use of angles, but as competition level increases, he will need to show more. Also, projected as a wing at the next level, he will need to be a much better ballhandler. Defensively, he needs to become much more consistent, realizing that he has the tools to be a very good defender. Prince will need to work on everything from his positioning on the ball to his foot speed and lateral movement. With his length and athleticism, he should be able to guard multiple positions effectively, but he needs a better understanding of how team defense is played in man-to-man situations. Physically, he will need to add strength, especially in his upper body, though that should come when he gets out of school and focuses on it.
Where he fits at the next level: Prince is another senior in this draft class who has potential as a “3 & D” player at the next level, especially if he can continue to knock down long-range shots consistently and show he has NBA range. The issue is his defense still needs a lot of work right now, but with his physical tools, including his length, the potential is there for Prince to be a solid perimeter defender at the next level. The rest of his offense is developing well, and the versatility should help him, but what level he plays at after college could depend on that defensive ability, and how it measures up.
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