Jan. 4, 2002
by Marianne Stoess – Host Communications
Kentucky basketball fans breathed a collective sigh of relief this summer when Tayshaun Prince decided to withdraw his name from the National Basketball Association Draft and return to the Bluegrass for his final season at Kentucky.
And it is with good reason that Wildcat faithful were so apprehensive about Prince’s departure. The 2001 SEC Player of the Year was a key component of the Kentucky squad and much of the Wildcats’ hope for the future rested on Prince’s shoulders.
Kentucky fans weren’t the only ones happy to see him return to the Bluegrass. Prince was eager to get back on the court and don the blue and white.
Joining what is arguably head coach Tubby Smith’s deepest and most talented Kentucky team, Prince has directed his attention toward one goal – leading the Wildcats to a national championship.
“I am happy to be back here at UK,” Prince said. “I have the opportunity to go to the NBA next summer. Now I know what I need to work on to be successful at the next level. Most importantly, I am going to graduate and earn my degree. That is something that is very important to me.
“Very few college players get to experience what I have already experienced in my college career,” Prince said. “I am looking forward to the chance this season to show people what I can do. I have tried to take my game another level each year and I think that I have been successful in that.”
If the best is yet to come from Prince, Wildcat fans have much to look forward to. Last season, Prince became a household name across the nation. The 6-9 forward became the 48th member of UK’s 1,000-point club, where he currently ranks 24th. The Wildcats’ co-MVP recorded double-doubles in the semifinals and final of the SEC Tournament, leading to MVP honors. He continued his dominance in the NCAA Tournament, scoring a combined 58 points in the Wildcats’ first two games.
After last season’s performance, Coach Smith was among those excited to see Prince return to Kentucky. With a returning first-team All-American on his roster, Smith has an experienced veteran to go along with his young talent.
Voted as a team co-captain (along with senior J.P. Blevins) by his teammates and coaching staff, Prince recognizes the team’s need for leadership and doesn’t take the responsibility lightly.
“It means a lot,” Prince said. “I was a captain on last year’s team with Saul (Smith) being the only senior. My sophomore year I wasn’t a captain, but we only had two seniors so I felt the responsibility to take on some type of leadership role. It means a lot to be named a captain. It just shows what the coaching staff and your teammates think of you and that they are putting their confidence in you.”
That road of confidence and respect between coach and player goes both ways, as Prince sees much to admire in Smith.
“I admire the type of father figure he is to all of us,” Prince said. “He lets you know how much he cares about you not just as a basketball player but off the court too. He makes sure that we are all in line and that we keep our priorities straight. He wants us to be successful and takes an interest in every area of our lives, not just basketball.”
In fact, it was the supportive nature of the Kentucky coaching staff that first drew Prince’s attention to the Wildcats.
“Kentucky showed a lot of interest in me in high school and they were very supportive of me,” Prince said. “I was looking to leave the state of California and wanted to be in a new place and see new things. Coming to Kentucky gave me the opportunity to do that and to be a part of a great basketball tradition.”
And Prince gave the Kentucky coaches plenty to notice. During his three years at Dominguez High School, he led the Dons to a 96-9 record and a state championship. As a senior, Prince proved he could contribute in every aspect of the game, averaging 22.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 5.2 assists per game. He was a member of USA Today’s preseason Super 25 squad, a Street & Smith’s second-team All-America selection and one of CNN/SI’s preseason top-five players in the nation. Making the cross-country trek from Compton, Calif., to Lexington, Ky., didn’t intimidate Prince in the least. He looked forward to the change of scenery and to new experiences in the Bluegrass.
“I am not really a homesick type of person,” Prince said. “I am pretty laid back and I like to see and do new things. Moving to Kentucky gave me that opportunity.”
Coming off a national championship in 1998, expectations for the Wildcats were high and Prince was thrust into the spotlight from the beginning. With the loss of Jeff Sheppard and Cameron Mills to graduation, and Nazr Mohammed departing early for the NBA, Prince had the opportunity to play a major role in the Wildcats’ success.
And he wasted no time proving he was up to the challenge. He played in every game his first season, making 11 starts and averaging 20.2 minutes and 5.8 points per game on his way to capturing the team’s Freshman Leadership Award.
Prince would rely on that leadership and experience the following season. Returning with a roster including only two seniors and one junior, the young Prince would be counted on to provide valuable minutes for the youthful Kentucky squad. And he produced for the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring – reaching double figures 23 times – and ranking second in rebounds.
When looking at the season ahead, Prince is excited about the potential of the Kentucky squad. Believing it is the most talented UK team he has played on, Prince plans to be cutting down the nets in Atlanta on April 1, 2002.
“We are so deep and have so much talent at every position,” Prince said. “We just have to put it all together. As the season goes on, we will get better and get used to playing together. This team is going to be very successful.”
But it is not the awards, media attention and game highlights that Prince holds in the highest regard. His greatest joy is simply being a Wildcat. “My greatest accomplishment is just being here at the University of Kentucky,” Prince said. “In high school, I had a lot of scouts come from all over the country to see me play. But just seeing how much interest Kentucky showed in me and how much they wanted me to come here, made me want to come here. Just to represent this university is a major achievement. Getting to wear a UK jersey is my greatest accomplishment.”
