Gaige Prim
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1999)}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Gaige Prim
| image =
| caption =
| position = Power forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lbs = 235
| team = Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
| league = Korean Basketball League
| number = 44
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|8}}
| birth_place = Aurora, Colorado
| high_school = Grandview
(Aurora, Colorado)
| college =
- West Texas A&M (2017–2018)
- South Plains (2018–2019)
- Missouri State (2019–2022)
| career_start = 2022
| team1 = Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
| years1 = 2022–present
| highlights =
}}
Gaige Colburn Prim (born April 8, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus of the Korean Basketball League (KBL). He previously played for West Texas A&M Buffaloes, South Plains Texans, and Missouri State Bears basketball.
High school career
Prim attended Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado. As a junior, Prim averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game. He was named to second team all-league and helped lead the team to the Colorado Sweet 16. Prim averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per game as a senior, shooting 70 percent from the field. He helped Grandview reach the Colorado Elite 8 and was a first-team all-league pick. Prim committed to playing college basketball for West Texas A&M.{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Wyatt |title=Report: South Plains juco forward Gaige Prim commits to Missouri State basketball |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2018/09/29/missouri-state-basketball-gaige-prim-reportedly-commits-bears/1476777002/ |access-date=November 23, 2021 |work=Springfield News-Leader |date=September 29, 2018}}
College career
Prim averaged 10.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a freshman at West Texas A&M. For his sophomore season, Prim transferred to South Plains College. He helped the Texans achieve an automatic berth in the NJCAA tournament after contributing a 27 point, 14 rebound game during a 73–71 win against Odessa College in the Region V championship game.{{cite web |title=Eight Texan basketball players sign with Div. I schools |url=http://www.spctexans.com/general/2018-19/releases/20190508i2eh85 |website=South Plains College |access-date=November 23, 2021 |date=May 8, 2019}} As a sophomore, Prim averaged 20.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last1=Doolittle |first1=Brian |title=Missouri State Men's Basketball 2019-20 Season Preview |url=https://mvc-sports.com/news/2019/10/28/arch-madness-missouri-state-mens-basketball-2019-20-preview.aspx |website=Missouri Valley Conference |access-date=November 23, 2021 |date=October 29, 2019}} He was named a NJCAA First Team All-American. Prim was one of the top junior college recruits and committed to transfer to Missouri State, choosing the Bears over UT Arlington.
Prim was plagued by an undisclosed leg injury during his junior season but averaged 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Wyatt |title=MSU hoops notes: Dana Ford breaks down new recruits, health of star player Gaige Prim |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2020/07/07/missouri-state-msu-basketball-dana-ford-gaige-prim-isiaih-mosley/5389913002/ |access-date=November 23, 2021 |work=Springfield News-Leader |date=July 7, 2020}} He earned Third Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.{{cite news |title=FANS CAN SEE BEARS/LADY BEARS SATURDAY |url=https://www.ozarkssportszone.com/2020/10/14/fans-can-see-bears-lady-bears-saturday/ |access-date=November 23, 2021 |work=Ozarks Sports Zone |date=October 14, 2020}} On February 26, 2021, Prim scored a career-high 33 points in a 90–81 win against Evansville.{{cite news |title=Prim scores 33 to lead Missouri St. over Evansville 90–81 |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401267052 |access-date=November 24, 2021 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=February 26, 2021}} As a senior, Prim averaged 16.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and tallied eight double-doubles.{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Wyatt |title=Why Missouri State basketball is picked to finish 4th in the Valley and is considered a contender |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2021/10/20/missouri-state-basketball-why-bears-picked-fourth-valley/8518518002/ |access-date=November 23, 2021 |work=Springfield News-Leader |date=October 20, 2021}} He was named to the First Team All-MVC.{{cite news |last1=Derrickson |first1=Bryce |title=Three MSU men's basketball players receive postseason awards |url=https://www.ozarksfirst.com/msu-bear-nation-2/three-msu-mens-basketball-players-receive-postseason-awards/ |access-date=November 23, 2021 |work=Ozarks First |date=March 2, 2021}} Prim opted to return for a fifth season of eligibility, granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Wyatt |title=Missouri State star center Gaige Prim to return for extra season |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2021/02/08/missouri-state-basketball-gaige-prim-return-bonus-season/4445181001/ |access-date=November 22, 2021 |work=Springfield News-Leader |date=February 8, 2021}} He repeated on the First Team All-MVC.{{cite press release|url=https://mvc-sports.com/news/2022/2/28/arch-madness-aj-green-of-uni-headlines-2022-mvc-mbb-all-conference-teams.aspx |title=AJ Green of UNI Headlines 2022 MVC MBB All-Conference Teams|publisher=Missouri Valley Conference |date=March 1, 2022 |accessdate=March 1, 2022}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=College=
==NCAA Division I==
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Missouri State
| 28 || 15 || 21.7 || .493 || .500 || .785 || 4.9 || 1.6 || .6 || .7 || 13.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Missouri State
| 24 || 24 || 29.4 || .599 || .000 || .734 || 9.1 || 3.0 || 1.2 || 1.3 || 16.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 52 || 39 || 25.2 || .543 || .250 || .759 || 6.8 || 2.2 || .9 || 1.0 || 15.1
{{S-end}}
==NCAA Division II==
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18
| style="text-align:left;"| West Texas A&M
| 36 || 8 || 18.0 || .539 || .000 || .770 || 6.8 || .6 || .5 || .8 || 10.5
{{S-end}}
==JUCO==
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19
| style="text-align:left;"| South Plains
| 34 || 34 || 26.1 || .648 || .438 || .725 || 11.5 || 1.6 || 1.1 || 1.2 || 20.7
{{S-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/gaige-prim/6325 Missouri State Bears bio]
- [http://www.spctexans.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/bios/prim_gaige_f3sz South Plains Texans bio]
- [https://gobuffsgo.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/gaige-prim/7342 West Texas A&M Buffaloes bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prim, Gaige}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Arapahoe County, Colorado
Category:Missouri State Bears basketball players
Category:South Plains Texans basketball players
Category:Sportspeople from Aurora, Colorado
Category:West Texas A&M Buffaloes basketball players
Category:Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus players
Category:American expatriate basketball people in South Korea