NBA
TP
#12

Taurean Prince

Forward · Detroit Pistons · 6'6", 218 lb · Born Mar 22, 1994 · San Marcos, Texas · Drafted 12th overall, 2016
Detroit Pistons2× NBA Cup champ3-and-D veteranAcquired via trade
NBADetroit PistonsForwards
Compare:vs Thompsonvs Cunninghamvs Jenkinsvs Robinsonvs Joevs Duren
In short

Taurean Prince is a veteran 3-and-D wing acquired by the Detroit Pistons from Milwaukee in the July 2026 Caris LeVert trade. Homeless at age 12 outside San Antonio, he became a Baylor standout and the 12th pick in 2016, then built a long career across seven franchises as a floor-spacing forward and two-time NBA Cup champion. He joins a 60-win Detroit team as veteran wing depth.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceFri, Nov 13
@Dallas MavericksAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
9.3
range 6.6–12
Line 9
54%
to go over
Team win
40%
111–113
Poi 9.3 Lean overReb 3.1 Lean overAss 1.8 Lean underPRA 14.2 Lean over
Likely on himCooper Flagg· 76 Perimeter DSolid defender
5+ pts92%10+ pts41%

Model lines Prince at 9.3 pts (range 6.6–12) vs a 9 line — a lean to clear it (54%).

Model favors Dallas Mavericks (60%), projected 111–113, ~224 total at 97.4 pace.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Prince
Latest news
transactionJul 7, 2026
Pistons trade Caris LeVert to Milwaukee for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris
NBA.com ↗
The Prince Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

Homeless at 12 outside San Antonio — he became a first-round pick and a resilient, decade-long 3-and-D veteran.

Prince wore his mother's maiden name 'Waller' at Baylor, then was drafted 12th in 2016 (Utah, traded to Atlanta).

🐻 Baylor · 12th, 2016Waller tribute

He built a floor-spacing 3-and-D career across seven franchises and won back-to-back NBA Cup titles (2023 Lakers, 2024 Bucks).

7 franchises🏆 2× NBA Cup

A herniated disc required neck surgery in November 2025, limiting him to 26 games with Milwaukee.

🩹 Neck surgery26 games

In July 2026 Detroit acquired him in the Caris LeVert trade — veteran wing shooting and defense for a 60-win team.

➡️ Traded to DET, 20269.2 ppg · .436 3P
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
9.2
2025-26
RPG
3.1
per game
APG
1.8
per game
FG%
.450
.436 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A resilient 3-and-D veteran who overcame homelessness — Detroit's new veteran wing.

Taurean Waller-Prince was born in San Marcos, Texas and was homeless at age 12 on the streets outside San Antonio before basketball offered a way up. He wore his mother's maiden name, 'Waller,' on his Baylor jersey in tribute, became a Baylor standout, and was drafted 12th overall in 2016 (by Utah, traded to Atlanta).

Over a decade he built a career as a floor-spacing 3-and-D forward across Atlanta, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Minnesota, the Lakers, and Milwaukee, winning back-to-back NBA Cup titles (2023 Lakers, 2024 Bucks). A herniated disc required neck surgery in November 2025, limiting him to 26 games, and in July 2026 the Pistons acquired him from Milwaukee in the Caris LeVert trade to add veteran wing shooting and defense to a 60-win team.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.

MOVEMENT

Career journey

2016–2019Atlanta Hawksdrafted 12th; developed as a 3-and-D wing
2019–2021Brooklyn Netsfloor-spacing forward
2021Cleveland Cavaliersmidseason trade
2021–2023Minnesota Timberwolvesrotation wing
2023–2024Los Angeles Lakers2023 NBA Cup champion
2024–2026Milwaukee Bucks2024 NBA Cup champion
2026–presentDetroit Pistonsacquired in the LeVert trade
BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Prince's origin is one of the NBA's most striking: homeless at 12 on the streets outside San Antonio, he channeled the hardship into a college degree and a decade-long pro career. He honored his mother, Tamiyko, by wearing her maiden name 'Waller' at Baylor, and is a practicing Muslim who observes Ramadan.

On the court his identity is steady and specific — a 6-foot-6 wing who spaces the floor (career ~39% from three) and defends multiple positions, the kind of veteran a contender adds for depth and shooting. His journey through seven franchises, two NBA Cup titles, and a neck surgery in 2025 lands him in Detroit, where a young, 60-win team gains a proven, resilient veteran presence.

PERSONALITY

The person

A resilient, floor-spacing 3-and-D veteran — steady wing shooting and defense.

Floor-spacerCareer ~39% from three; a reliable catch-and-shoot wing.
Versatile defenderGuards multiple forward spots at 6-foot-6.
ResilientHomeless at 12; built a decade-long career and a college degree.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
3-and-D Wing · Veteran Spacer
Temperament
Vet
Leadership
62/100
Scoring54
Playmaking42
Rebounding45
Perimeter D70
Rim protection22
Spacing80
Athleticism66
Clutch58
Veteran spacingCorner shootingPositional defense
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Veteran spacing and defense

Prince gives Detroit exactly what a young, 60-win team wants on the margins: a 6-foot-6 wing who spaces the floor (career ~39% from three, 43.6% in a limited 2025-26) and defends multiple forward spots. He won't create, but around Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, reliable veteran shooting and positional defense are valuable depth — and his two NBA Cup titles bring winning experience.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-262623.59.23.11.8.450.436

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

OriginHomeless at 12 outside San Antonio; wore mother's maiden name 'Waller' at Baylor
TitlesBack-to-back NBA Cup champion (2023 Lakers, 2024 Bucks)
2026Traded from Milwaukee to Detroit in the Caris LeVert deal

Hardware

2×
NBA Cup champion (2023, 2024)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 12, 2026

A resilient 3-and-D veteran joining a 60-win team — wing shooting and defense for Detroit.

Acquired in the July 2026 LeVert trade, Prince gives the young Pistons proven veteran spacing, multi-position defense, and two NBA Cup titles of winning experience. His role is depth; his story is resilience.

Three-point shootingReliable
Positional defenseSolid
Veteran valueProven
Health / agePost-neck, 32

Contract

Status
Traded to DET July 2026
Titles
2 NBA Cup winner
Age
32 veteran
Bottom line

A resilient 3-and-D veteran with a remarkable backstory and two NBA Cup titles. For a young 60-win Detroit team, exactly the kind of steady veteran wing depth a contender adds.

FAQ

Quick answers

How did Taurean Prince join the Pistons?

Detroit acquired him from Milwaukee in July 2026 in the trade that sent Caris LeVert and two second-round picks to the Bucks.

What is Taurean Prince's backstory?

He was homeless at age 12 outside San Antonio before becoming a Baylor standout and the 12th overall pick in 2016; he wore his mother's maiden name 'Waller' at Baylor.

What kind of player is Taurean Prince?

A veteran 3-and-D wing — a career ~39% three-point shooter who defends multiple forward positions — and a two-time NBA Cup champion.