When Prince sauntered into Oracle Arena as a guest, and fan, of the Golden State Warriors earlier last month, the mood was celebratory. Today, of course, the mood is different. But the Warriors are thinking of Prince still — in fact, the Chronicle is told, the team is listening to the late artist's music while they practice in anticipation of Game 3 in a playoff series against the Rockets.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of Prince’s death today, especially after hosting him at a game recently at Oracle Arena,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob, who invited prince to the game in March, said on learning the news of his passing.

“That night was a real honor for me and, looking back, he appeared to be doing well and was in great spirits. From everyone in the Warriors’ organization, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and millions of fans during this difficult time. We lost a true icon in the entertainment business.”

Prince, as Chappelle's Show immortalized, was a fan of basketball, a sport he played as a child and continued to play — no matter what he was wearing — as an adult. And, at a show held at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre a few nights prior to the game, he reportedly said of the Golden State Warriors' star, Steph Curry, "What can you truly count on besides Steph Curry? And you can count on Steph Curry.”

Personally, I can't count on anything anymore.

Related: San Francisco Fans React To Sudden, Inconceivable Death Of Prince