Wonder how many of those guys still have jobs.
One who might have undervalued Prince is certainly still employed. His coach, Flip Saunders, said he never would have expected to see what Prince has become - one of the most consistent and versatile players in the league, a player who might prove to be the X-factor in the Pistons' first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
"I think everyone thought he had the opportunity to be a good player," Saunders said. "I thought he was a good player when I came here, but I never understood how good he was until I saw him day in and day out. His commitment to the game, his commitment to the team, and just how versatile he is."
Prince set an NBA record by playing more playoff games - 63 - in his first three seasons than any other player in league history. Now in his fourth season, he has a few other streaks running, too.
Since his rookie season, when former coach Rick Carlisle didn't give him quality time until late in the year, Prince has not missed a game.
And though he's wiry, Prince has never missed a game because of injury, not as far back as he can remember.
"I never missed a game in college, either," he said.
Prince played all 82 regular-season games in the last three seasons, as well as the 64 playoff games in that time, too.
And what you see from him in each one of those 310 games might be a little different from the game before it.
Prince, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound small forward, can do so much that coaches can give him a new role for each game.
"He's a guy that does everything good and is willing to accept whatever role you put in his hands," Saunders said, "and he accepts that role very graciously and goes about doing his work."
In the case of the playoffs, that role changes each series.
In this series, with 6-foot-11 small forward Toni Kukoc out for the time being with back spasms, the Bucks are left with no good option to match up with Prince's lankiness, explosive speed and play-making strength inside.
When Bucks coach Terry Stotts puts Bobby Simmons on Prince, Prince can use his athleticism and speed to get open for outside shots. When smaller guards like T.J. Ford or Michael Redd switch onto Prince, he heads inside to use his size to post up.
In the Pistons' 92-74 victory Sunday in Game 1, Price had 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a team-high 41 minutes.
"It really is a luxury to have Tayshaun because he is a matchup problem for any team, really," said point guard Chauncey Billups. "Any team that has a guy as tall as he is, they're never as fast and as mobile as he is. And any team that has a smaller guy, he's a great post-up player and he makes plays. He doesn't just score in the post; he makes the right passes at the right times."
It's nothing new for the Pistons, but with four other All-Stars in the lineup, it's something that sometimes goes underappreciated.
What Prince never fails to appreciate is his role, no matter how big or small it is.
"All season long and since I've been here, my part of this team is to do whatever the team needs me to do to win," Prince said. "There may be times I have to score. There may be times I have to play defense on certain guys. It just doesn't matter to me."
Prince also takes pride in his durability. Most of the Pistons' starters took a game off to rest for the playoffs, but Prince kept playing.
It makes those pre-draft predictions from four years ago look mighty silly in hindsight.
"I never try to prove anyone wrong as far as my ability, what people have said about me in the past and what-not," Prince said. "I thought the only way to get through it is to just do what I do. That's what I do. I try not to miss games. I try to go out there and help my team."
