As Tweeted by NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral), Prince recounted the incident, stating,

“I hit it right in front of my bench, not one coach clapped, but they was trying to lose. Now I get it, but in the moment, even…”

The revelation provides a rare glimpse into the often secretive world of NBA tanking.

Taurean Prince says that one time he hit a game-winner, and not a single coach clapped because they wanted the Hawks to tank 😅

“It was against Phoenix. I hit it right in front of my bench, not one coach clapped, but they was trying to lose. Now I get it, but in the moment, even… pic.twitter.com/7hTQeCxA67

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 8, 2024

Taurean Prince’s Experience

Taurean Prince, who played for the Atlanta Hawks from 2016 to 2019, recounted his experience during the 2017-18 NBA season. The Hawks were in a rebuilding phase and finished the season with a 24-58 record, which eventually landed them the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, used to select Trae Young. Prince’s story sheds light on the internal dynamics of a team that was strategically losing games to secure a better draft position.

Prince shared his thoughts on the “Run Your Race” podcast, saying, “I hit a game-winner, and not one coach clapped. It was against Phoenix. I hit it right in front of my bench, not one coach clapped, but they were trying to lose. Now I get it, but at the moment, even as a hooper today, you can never put me in that moment because I’m trying to win the ball game.”

ALSO READ: Chris Canty claims the Pro Football Hall of Fame proved why Michael Jordan is the GOAT over LeBron James