If Prince played basketball: point guard, rated 79

Prince as a basketball player: scouting report

Prince does not need much imagination for this one. He played basketball at Central High School in Minneapolis before music took over his life, and he would come back to the court as a point guard. His basketball IQ is the top mark on his card and his playmaking is next, so he runs an offense the way he ran a band: hearing every part at once and knowing exactly which player needs the ball and when.

He played nearly every instrument on his early records, and that versatility shows up across his card. His defense grades out well, he is quick enough to pressure the ball for a full possession, and his jumper is good enough to keep defenders honest. At the Super Bowl halftime show in 2007 he played Purple Rain through a downpour in Miami and turned the rain into part of the show, the sort of composure you want from a guard breaking a full court press on the road. He also built Paisley Park as his own studio and creative home, a player who likes to control his environment.

Rebounding is the honest weak spot, the lowest mark on his card. He would rather leak out for a quick outlet than battle bigger players under the rim, so he needs a strong rebounder beside him. Shooting guard is a workable second spot and small forward is a stretch. Draft him in the middle rounds as a lead guard who makes everyone around him better, pair him with a physical big and a reliable shooter, and give him the freedom to change the tempo whenever he feels it.

Plays like A quick, crafty point guard with a magician's handle

Put Prince in your lineup

8 rolls, a starting five and a bench, 82 games. Can you go 82-0? Free, no account.