Khamil Pierre Transfers to North Carolina

About two weeks ago, Khamil Pierre parted ways with Vanderbilt, marking her status as a free agent in the world of women’s basketball.

This separation happened after the transfer portal had closed, which, I suppose, makes her situation a bit tricky—but she managed to find a new team pretty quickly, which is impressive given the timing.

Sources told SB Nation that the 6-foot-2 forward, eligible for two more years, will be joining North Carolina.

The first reports came from ON3, indicating that Pierre had been recognized and registered with the team last week after discussions with the Wolfpack coaching staff on Monday.

According to various sources, once she left Vanderbilt, Pierre was particularly interested in schools from the Big Ten and ACC.

Interestingly, since NC State had recruited her during high school, they already had established connections with her and her circle. Sources mentioned that NC’s coach, Wes Moore, had chatted recently with Vanderbilt’s coach about Pierre, which shows they were really keen on her.

Pierre applied to North Carolina and accepted their offer before officially discussing joining the Wolfpack. There were also serious considerations from other programs, including Michigan, among others.

“Coach Wes has built a great culture at NC State,” Pierre mentioned. “It has become one of the top ACC programs, and I’m excited to be part of such a strong team and coaching staff.”

This route that Pierre took could become more common for athletes who leave their teams outside of the transfer portal window, similar to what BYU’s quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, is attempting after his own departure.

As of now, NC State has not publicly announced Pierre’s addition, possibly waiting until she signs a financial agreement. However, sources expressed confidence that she would be eligible to play this season. She will also be the second Arizona native on the roster, alongside freshman Ky’she Lunan.

Securing Pierre is a big win for NC State, especially after missing out on several transfer portal targets earlier this spring. The list included players like Kara Dunn, who moved from Georgia Tech to USC, and Allie Kubek to Maryland, among others. It seems they were cautious about not wanting to overpay for players like Fatmata Janneh and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda.

Despite the excitement, there has been uncertainty surrounding the power forward position following Madison Hayes’ graduation and the missed portal opportunities. Pierre doesn’t just fill that gap; she reinvigorates the Wolfpack’s contention in the ACC.

Last season, she was quite remarkable—averaging over 20 points, nearly ten rebounds, two assists, and two steals per game. She ranked sixth in field goals made per game and was quite efficient overall, shooting just under fifty percent.

The WBCA recognized her nationally as an honorable mention and she was notably a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award, also receiving an invitation to Team USA’s FIBA Americup Squad trials this summer.

Pierre is a versatile forward with a strong midrange game and an instinctive ability to score. She will likely form a formidable duo with sophomore Tilda Trigger and become a valuable option for junior point guard Zoe Brooks.

As NC State heads into the new season, they are bolstered by first-round WNBA draft picks Asia Hajames and Sanya Rivers.