NBA Draft 2016: Hawks draft Taurean Prince with 12th pick

With the No. 12 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks have selected Taurean Prince, a four-year player at Baylor. The Utah Jazz had the rights to the pick, but traded it to acquire George Hill in a three-team deal that also involved Jeff Teague going to the Pacers.

After switching his college choice from LIU Brooklyn to Baylor at the last minute, Prince increased his role each season with the Bears before finally becoming a full-time starter in his senior campaign. The 6’8, 220-pound forward began making waves as a junior when he was one of the top sixth men in the country. He earned the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2015 by averaging 14 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 47 percent overall and 40 percent from long range.

The 21-year-old improved his averages to 16 points and six boards in his final year in college, although his efficiency dipped as Baylor’s inconsistent play in the backcourt led to him taking over more offensive responsibilities. He still shot a solid 36 percent from long range, but his two-point percentage dropped from 53 percent to a tick under 47 percent thanks in part to an increase in tougher shots.

Even so, Prince was one of the best players in the Big 12 in leading Baylor to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears were upset yet again in the first round, but Prince provided plenty of highlight with 28 points against Yale:

Plus, Prince gave a great answer to a silly postgame question:

While Prince’s college career ended on a down note with that loss, he has a bright future ahead of him in the NBA as a 3-and-D role player. His outside shooting stroke should translate to the NBA three-point line, and his athleticism and nearly 7-foot wingspan will be an asset guarding multiple positions.

Baylor played a lot of zone, so playing full-time man-to-man defense will be an adjustment. Still, Prince has the tools to be a player who can guard in one-on-one situations and effectively switch screens. He moves well laterally and covers a lot of ground, so he can defend quicker guards, but he also can hold his own against bigger players in the post. This type of versatility has become all the rage in the NBA, as more and more wings now also double as small-ball power forwards.

Prince’s offensive limitations will likely keep him from becoming a star. He has some off-the-dribble ability and improved as a playmaker at Baylor, but he shouldn’t be expected to do much shot creating in the NBA and isn’t particularly adept at running the pick-and-roll.