New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jaron Pierre Jr. returned to his high school gym during the team's practice on Saturday morning.
Saturday's New Orleans Pelicans practice in the St. Augustine gymnasium was special for both the team and the city. It was extra special for rookie Jaron Pierre Jr., a New Orleans native who attended the high school while growing up.
"[Returning to St. Augustine] was wonderful. I mean, it's all the hard days I put in [here]. 6 A.M., 7 A.M., the long nights after practice, two-a-days, like it was all those things. Putting in all that hard work. So when draft night came, and I heard my name, it was surreal," said the rookie.
Pierre, 24, had a challenging college career with four stops along the way, but it all ended with him being able to go home. It was a fun story that he would be able to play in front of friends and family while suiting up for the Laketown Squadron. Turns out he didn't need to wait that long.
"When we came out, it was packed with people I haven't seen in a long time, man. People I haven't seen in a long time, people I've been seeing almost every other day, so it was just a lot of love and support."
Heading into the draft with just the No. 58 overall selection, walking out with Pierre was great. He is a fun two-guard who should have some explosive plays throughout the preseason and once the G League season begins. He is a high-flyer who can also step back and shoot from range.
As a senior for the SMU Mustangs, Pierre put up 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 46.2/37.0/75.8 shooting splits. It was an impressive end to his career and a payoff to a tough journey.
After starring for the Purple Knights in high school, Pierre began college with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. After two years as a bench player there, shooting under 40%, he transferred to the Wichita State Shockers. Again not reaching his own expectations, he went back home and took a redshirt season at Grambling. Whatever he did during that year worked, as he came back better than ever.
He put up 21.6 points per night in 2024/2025 with the Jacksonville St. Gamecocks and then had that final year with the Mustangs.
Now, he is living his childhood dream with the Pelicans. He has a chance to add something that New Orleans has desperately needed: another shooting threat who can also provide on the defensive end. Pierre told a story about how, in the St. Aug gym, he put up 30 points on only three-pointers during a game.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley certainly wouldn't complain if he did that again in one of their gyms.
"He's always excited. That's the one thing about JP," said Mosley. "He's got such a pure joy to the way he approaches all of this, and I've said this before, not just because he got drafted. It's because he has a pure joy for people, for the game and obviously to be drafted by your hometown team. He can't ask for more, and he's not afraid to continue to put that work in."
Pelicans fans obviously want all of their players to develop and do well, but it feels like Pierre has even more of a push behind him for clear reasons. The young guard is ready to do whatever it takes to fully realize his NBA dream in a regular-season game. In just a few days, though, he'll suit up for his first preseason game. While it will be a big day, he's just approaching it like any other.
"[I'm] locked in. Back to the same routine. Nothing changed," said Pierre. "Gym every morning, get my workout in. Work out again. Practice. Keep going hard, because I know when my time comes, it's time for me to do what I gotta do."
