If you grew up loving New York hoops and the incredible talent that was once gushing from the boys and girls public school system into the early 2000s, then the name Epiphanny Prince rings bells, especially in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where she once scored 113 points in a high school basketball game as an explosive guard for Murry Bergtraum High School, located in Lower Manhattan, but sitting adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge and City Hall.
Caitlin Clark never did that.
With Clark and this recent band of celebrity women basketball players being credited with putting the women’s game on the map, ushering in a new era in the WNBA and a new chapter in the history of women’s sports dating back to Title IX in 1972, we always have to give props to the originators.
In the past 50 years leading up to this fulfilling moment, there have been pioneers, superstars and record-breakers whose accomplishments were the only reason why anyone even knew their names. There was no social media to build a following. Just legendary games, word-of-mouth stories and newspaper clippings that made you do a double take.
Dropping 113 points in a high school game will get you some recognition, especially when you break a girls’ national prep record previously held by Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller. That legendary moment in 2006 drove Prince to Rutgers, where she starred under the great Vivan Stringer, learning discipline, teamwork, leadership and defensive principles to complement her scoring prowess.
Prince Leaves Rutgers Early
Prince is a pioneer in that she was one of the first women players to challenge the system and leave college early to chase the bag as a pro, skipping her senior year, playing turn professional, skipping her senior year. She played in Europe for a year before getting drafted in the WNBA.
According to The New York Times, Prince was only 10 credits from earning a degree in criminal justice and African-American studies and planned to complete her degree during the summer of 2009.
Once she signed with Wasserman Media Group, her eligibility was terminated and she was free to get paid to play, joining Russian team Spartak Moscow, then Turkish team Botaş Spor, before becoming the fourth overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft.
Caitlin Clark never did that.
Prince went on to the WNBA and played 14 seasons.
NY Hoops Legend Retires
The 36-year-old guard announced her retirement this week. She exits the game with career averages of 10.7 points, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 315 career games with the Chicago Sky, Las Vegas Aces, Seattle Storm and New York Liberty.
The 5-foot-9 explosive guard made two All-Star appearances during her five seasons in Chicago. Her peak season saw her average a career-best 18.1 points in 2012.
Prince, a native New Yorker, who honed her skills on the playgrounds of the concrete jungle, played for the Liberty twice, including leading the team to the Eastern Conference finals in 2015. She then went to Seattle, helping the Storm win the 2020 WNBA title. She returned home last season to end her career with New York.
Related: Sue, Stewie, Seattle, Storm Las Vegas Aces, Two Hall of Famers Too Much (theshadowleague.com)
“I have been fortunate to have a long career filled with unforgettable memories,” Prince wrote in an Instagram post. “A lot of winning, ups and downs, traveling the world, and meeting so many amazing people.”
Prince Has An Historic Overseas Legacy
Prince has a lasting legacy overseas as well. One that fewer players will duplicate as million-dollar NIL deals and higher WNBA salaries are surely on the horizon for the elite and most captivating women’s players, which will hopefully keep them playing in the United States year-round.
How much do you think Prince would have been worth in NIL, rising out of New York City after dropping triple-digit points in a game?
Instead, she needed to eat, so she spent many of her offseasons playing overseas, including in Russia. She played for the Russian national team in 2013 and 2015 as the country tried to qualify for the world championships and Olympics. The Russians didn’t make either tournament.
Caitlin Clark hasn’t made her reputation in international play yet. Team USA has been moving mountains to get Clark on the 14-person roster, as she was playing for Iowa in the NCAA Tournament during the tryouts.
So that’s one more accomplishment that Prince has, that Clark is yet to achieve. OR may never do so.
Prince Hired By NY Liberty
A day after announcing her retirement, Prince, the hometown hero, got a job working with the New York Liberty as director of player and community engagement.
Prince will serve on the basketball operations and business staff.
“I’m very excited about my new role with the Liberty,” Prince said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to work with the coaching staff, players, and everyone in this great organization.
Caitlin Clark has a way to go before she can impact the game in the manner Epiphanny Prince has. Not comparing one to the other, just acknowledging the pioneers who paved the way for Clark and others to be received by the world in this manner.
There was a lot of work done in the dark, laying the groundwork for the future, success bucket by bucket, challenge by challenge, accomplishment by accomplishment.
Prince was one of those unsung heroes of women’s hoops that we will find out more about.
