Transfer Jaron Pierre commits to Wichita State basketball

Isaac Brown has dipped back into the NCAA transfer portal to add another player to the 2022 recruiting class for the Wichita State men’s basketball team.

Southern Miss transfer Jaron Pierre Jr. became the third recruit of the week and the sixth new player to join WSU when he verbally committed on his social media platforms on Saturday night. Pierre picked WSU over his three other listed finalists, which included Mississippi State, Tulane and Murray State.

Pierre is a 6-foot-4, 182-pound guard with three years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season for a Southern Miss team that finished with a 7-26 record and also earned Conference USA All-Freshman team honors in the 2020-21 season after averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals.

Five of the six players in WSU’s 2022 recruiting class are from the transfer portal, as Pierre joins senior big man James Rojas (Alabama), senior forward Gus Okafor (Southeastern Louisiana), sophomore guard Xavier Bell (Drexel) and sophomore center Quincy Ballard (Florida State). The lone high school signee is Jacob Wilson, as WSU has up to three scholarships remaining in its 2022 recruiting class.

Pierre appears to be a natural fit playing either the shooting guard or small forward positions on the wing, where he can use his athleticism and length to attack the basket or pull up for the jump shot.

Per Synergy, Pierre had his most success in transition where he scored 1.01 points per possession and ranked in the 50th percentile nationally. He also scored 0.91 points per possession on his jump shots, which ranked in the 52nd percentile.

His efficiency is still a work in progress, as his shooting percentage dipped from 38.6% as a true freshman to 34.2% from the field this past season. He is also a career 33.5% 3-point shooter on 5.3 attempts per game and a 75.4% career free-throw shooter.

Pierre was considered the top recruit in New Orleans in the 2020 recruiting class after earning first team all-state honors, averaging 27 points and leading St. Augustine to a state championship game.

This story was originally published May 1, 2022 12:49 PM.

Wichita State athletics beat reporter. Bringing you closer to the Shockers you love and inside the sports you love to watch.