Legendary musician Prince was known for being himself, always. And in remembering the late superstar, who died at his home Thursday morning at age 57, perhaps no anecdote best captures his insistence on individuality than the time he rented a house from former NBA player Carlos Boozer.
In 2011, ESPN's Nick Friedell recapped the story of Prince's time as Boozer's tenant in the baller's Beverly Hills, California, home, as told by Boozer's former teammate Jay Williams on an ESPN radio show:
Supposedly, Prince changed the front gate to the Prince sign, he changed the master bedroom to a hair salon, he changed the streaming blue waters that led to the front door to purple water, he knocked out walls, he changed the molding on top of the ceiling. [Boozer] was livid. So pissed off, so angry... [Prince] put his Purple Rain stamp on it. [Jay Williams, via ESPN]
Williams says Boozer told him he was "ready to go over there and beat this little man down" — but before he could get the chance, Prince presented Boozer with "a little check for about a million" to restore his home to its former state. Boozer's reaction, according to Williams? "This little man is cool as hell."
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For his part, Boozer didn't rent and tell, only mentioning to ESPN that Prince was a "good dude, good tenant." You can read about the whole saga at ESPN.
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