Prince Wishes Bledsoe And Orton Were Still Cats

Prince Wishes Bledsoe And Orton Were Still Cats

Tayshaun Prince is a class act who suffered through a bad season because of his back and because his team, the Detroit Pistons were bad.

"How was my season? Horrible," says Tayshaun Prince.

"Accumulation of injuries and for the first time in my career, not just me but guys on my team. The most joyful thing about being a Detroit Piston for the first seven years of my career was that guys stayed injury free and we were able to make a good run throughout the playoffs and have a good strong season. This past season we weren't able to do that."

To the five UK players who set the record with so many going in the first round of the NBA draft.

"Yeah, it blew me away, but at the same time I'm pretty sure that everybody knew where Wall and Cousins were going to be selected and everybody knew Patterson was going to be anywhere between 13 and 17."

Prince wasn't just a big UK star, he is now a big UK fan. So, as a UK fan, he wishes Daniel Orton and Eric Bledsoe did something you don't expect an NBA player to say. He wishes they were still at UK.

"But the other two guys, I think it is a scenario that you are proud for them and you are happy for them, but if you are like me and the rest of the Kentucky fans you would like for them to come back for another year and being able to help us get better next season."

"But those guys have great talent. They have great potential and to see five guys go in the first round is truly an accomplishment for Kentucky basketball but more so the guys are about to live their dreams and hopefully things end up being great for them."

Late in the season LEX 18 was talking to Patrick Patterson about what his good friend Jodie Meeks was telling him about the NBA and what he needed to do to make the adjustment, if that was going to be his choice, which is was. Meeks told Patrick that when he gets to the NBA you need to make sure you eat right, get plenty of rest and watch who you hang out with.

Prince's advice would be the same to the five UK first round draft choices.

"The number one thing is to take care of your body. It's a situation where even though you are still young, thirty something games is a whole lot different than 82 and if you go to the playoffs you can end up playing 100 games."

"Taking care of your body and eating properly would be number one. And also just know who you are hanging around. That is always an important thing when you get to this point. People are going to start coming around that you haven't seen in a while and they want to hang around so just know who you are hanging around."

As far as the Cats, Prince has only good things to say about the team and it's coach.

"I keep up with them all the time. I've kept up with them ever since I've left."

"What do I think about Calipari? He's a great coach. He always seems to have a great staff. He gets the best out of his players. What I saw this past season, I saw a young team at the beginning of the season. And, as the season progressed, there were guys that matured to become better basketball players and better people. And that is tough to say for guys that are young and are freshman."

Prince who won a gold medal in the Olympics and the NBA Championship with Detroit in 2004 likes the growth in former UK center DeMarcus Cousins.

"Look at DeMarcus Cousins. Everybody was talking about the technical fouls and the immaturity when he first came in and starting playing basketball. As he continued to play and continued to learn the game he got better and better as the season rolled along. And look at the position it's gotten him to this point being the fifth pick, so obviously he is a great player. There were a lot of people who were trying to get him besides the Sacramento Kings. He is going to be a great talent but all those guys have great talent and will be able to help their teams in the future."

To trying to do what Calipari is facing. Win the NCAA Championship with a team that will be loaded with freshman.

"It's tough. It's tough. To have a very very young squad and not many upperclassman is always going to be a tough task to try and accomplish that goal. That's what makes it even tougher. Now you have a young good core of guys coming in next year that are young but definitely had a great amount of talent. Experience is what counts coming into that tournament. When you have a young group you got to do so much with them right away so when the tournament time comes they have the ability to be able to get to that Final Four."

Prince, who is holding his annual basketball camp in Lexington, is quick to smile if you are talking about his campers and the questions they ask.

"Do I know LeBron James? That is the number the one question. Have I met him? Couple of guys asked do I know Rip Hamilton. I play with him. It's just questions you expect from young kids and it puts a smile on your face even though it seems like a crazy question to you. It makes it worthwhile."