KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Former Arizona guard J.P. Prince is transferring to Tennessee as a redshirt and will be eligible to play for the No. 22 Volunteers next season, athletic officials announced Tuesday.
Prince, a 6-6 freshman originally from Memphis, averaged 2.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28 games last season for No. 11 Arizona.
Prince, a cousin of Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons, announced he was leaving Arizona in December, after weeks of not practicing with the team and an undisclosed illness.
"My focus is on getting healthy and maintaining my academics," he said in a statement released last month by Arizona. "The health problems I dealt with last spring have kept me from performing at the level needed here at Arizona. Right now I just want to get back home and get better physically."
He helped lead the White Station High School Spartans to three state championships and a 142-12 record. In 2005 he was named Tennessee's Gatorade player of the year with averages of 27 points, four assists and three steals a game.
"We are very excited about J.P. Prince coming back to the state of Tennessee," coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. " ... Our style of play should enable him to reach his full potential."
Prince can begin practicing with the team immediately.
