Prince gets fresh start with Vols

Prince, who enrolled at Tennessee on Tuesday after transferring from Arizona, had his first practice with the Vols on Thursday.

Prince, a 6-foot-6 point guard, will be a practice player this season before becoming eligible in 2008. Prince has 2A 1/2 years of eligibility remaining but plans to appeal to the NCAA to regain a half season of eligibility so he can start play the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

"I'm very anxious to help the team in practice situations,'' said Prince, a former high school teammate of Dane Bradshaw at Memphis White Station High School and AAU teammate of Wayne Chism. "Wearing orange doesn't feel strange at all. I'm happy to wear the color and glad coach (Bruce) Pearl has given me this opportunity.''

Prince, Tennessee's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2004-05, said he's comfortable playing closer to home.

"I played a lot as a freshman being the sixth or seventh man off the bench,'' said Prince, who averaged 12.4 minutes and 2.2 points per game last season. "But in May of 2006, I had an infection that affected my strength through the summer, and I wasn't able to get back on the court until last fall. It put me in a role I wasn't comfortable with.''

Prince said an infection occurred when he had his wisdom tooth removed, and it left him hospitalized for a month and caused him to lose 30 pounds.

Prince pointed to a small scar under his chin near his windpipe and explained the infection went undiagnosed until it affected his respiratory system.

Prince played 17 minutes in three games for Arizona this season before transferring.

Vanderbilt was Prince's second choice out of high school and the first place he looked, but a snag in admissions office led him to look at UT.

"Dane gave me a call and asked about my interest level, and I was very interested,'' Prince said. "Tennessee (basketball) is a totally different place than when I left high school. Coach Pearl has a great staff and fan support is three times better.''

Bradshaw said Prince will be a good fit.

"J.P.'s length (83-inch wingspan) is something you can't teach, and as much emphasis as we put on deflections and steals, he'll be a factor,'' Bradshaw said. "Even though J.P. had his struggles at Arizona, he can work that much harder now and take advantage of our system.''

Prince, usually a point guard, said he can play four positions, depending on where the team needs him.

"Fans will see nice moves along with the jumping and dunking,'' said Prince, whose cousin, Tayshaun, is an NBA player and a former Kentucky standout."But right now it's my job to give the team a realistic look as a scout team player.''