From Purple Knight to Pelican.
Jaron Pierre Jr.’s journey to the NBA spanned over six years and at four different universities.
It was a winding road, but a road that has led the 6-foot-6 guard back home.
The Pelicans only draft pick, Pierre now gets the opportunity to play professionally in an arena he grew up going to, idolizing other NBA players, and simply being a fan.
“You know how they used to shoot the shirts out the guns? So I used to be running down the hallway trying to get one, like I couldn’t get one. At one time, a shirt came out and I got it. I mean, the shirt was a 3X. The shirt was down to my feet. Man, I was dancing so hard up there like, I wasn’t watching the game and I was that happy I got a shirt,” Pierre Jr. said.
“It was beautiful just from watching AD , CP3 like it was beautiful coming to the games, but I was young,” the St. Aug product said.
That young kid grew up to be an elite scorer. Last year for the SMU Mustangs, Pierre averaged nearly 18 points per game, shooting 37% from beyond the arc.
At 23 years old, Pierre also brings more maturity than your average NBA rookie.
“Just me being an older guy like I’m not young so I’m very seasoned already, so I bring a lot of things: defense, toughness, competitiveness, and energy. I bring a lot of things to the table that I know JD would love to see,” Pierre said.
“There’s a certain type of player that we’re looking for,” Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said. “We’re looking for guys who are competitive, looking for guys who have toughness and we’re looking for guys who really want to be here in New Orleans. Jaron checks the box for all of those. The fact that he’s a St. Aug Purple Knight, that’s cool too.”
The homecoming also means a little bit more for Pierre, who wants to be a resource for kids in the city.
“I was in those kids shoes one day too, looking up to people trying to figure my way out, and I figured my way out. Being one of those guys that can lead and they can look up to me, I mean, it feels great to just know that I’m a professional player now to where I could look down on some of these younger dudes and get in the gyms and tell them my journey and tell them what I did and my ups and downs and help them on their way,” Pierre said.
On his way to the league, Pierre had that presence through Elfrid Payton. The longtime NBA point guard and Gretna native set an example for Pierre and helped him develop.
“My high school coach put me under Elfrid Payton when I was in eighth grade. I was a sponge, like 8 AM workouts before school. I was in there every day just learning from him a lot,” Pierre said.
