DALLAS (SMU) – Jaron Pierre Jr., the nation's leading returning scorer and the 2024-25 Conference USA Player of the Year, has signed with the Mustangs for the 2025-26 season, Head Coach Andy Enfield announced today. Pierre Jr. joins SMU's incoming class that is ranked as high as No. 17 nationally, including the highest ranked high school signing class in program history that was ranked as high as No. 6 nationally.
 
The transfer from Jacksonville State led C-USA and was fourth nationally at 21.6 points per game. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists (6^th C-USA) while shooting 38.2% on threes (3^rd C-USA). The Gamecocks went 23-13 overall, finished tied for second in C-USA at 12-6 and advanced to the second round of the NIT.  The graduate transfer will have one season on the Hilltop.
 
In Enfield's first season on the Hilltop, the Mustangs went 24-11 overall and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. SMU finished 13-7 in the program's inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth, recording a 7-3 road record in league play. The Mustangs also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational and signed the highest rated recruiting class in program history (No. 6 by ESPN).
 
 
 
Jaron Pierre Jr.
Sr., G, 6-6, 208
New Orleans, Louisiana
St. Augustine HS
 
2024-25 (Jacksonville State): C-USA Player of the Year… Started all 36 games… averaged 21.6 points (1^st C-USA, 4^th NCAA), 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists (6^th C-USA), 0.7 steals, 1.32 assist-to-turnover ratio (10^th C-USA)… 38.2% 3FGs (3^rd C-USA, 66^th NCAA), 2.9 made 3FGs (3^rd C-USA, 46^th NCAA), 81.0% FTs (6^th C-USA)… 2-time C-USA Player of the Week, Lute Olson Player of the Week (Feb. 10), Oscar Robertson Player of the Week (Nov. 18), Lou Henson Player of the Week (Nov. 18).

2023-24 (Wichita State): Sat out the season as a redshirt. 

2022-23 (Wichita State): Appeared in 31 games with 22 starts after transferring in from Southern Miss...posted averages of 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists...made a team-high 50 three-pointers on 28.2% accuracy... Scored in double-figures 14 times and led the scoring on six occasions... Twice topped the 20-point barrier highlighted by a 28-point explosion at Tulane (Feb. 26) in front of friends and family in his hometown of New Orleans. He was 9-of-17 from the field including 5-of-12 from deep... Averaged a team-high 12.8 points in six December games, boosted by a 20-point effort against Longwood (Dec. 10).
 
2020-22 (Southern Miss): Played two seasons for the Golden Eagles, averaging 10.0 points and 2.2 threes on 33.7 percent accuracy during the 2021-22 campaign...made Conference USA's All-Freshman team in 2020-21 when he started 16 games and averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals...scored a career-high 29 points on 7-of-18 three-point shooting in a Jan. 29, 2022 game against Rice
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-star prospect, ranked No. 4 in Louisiana and No. 240 nationally by MaxPreps… Class 5A First Team All-State selection for St. Augustine HS… Averaged 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals-per-game as a senior on a team that finished 31-2 and advanced to the state title game in Division I (the largest of Louisiana's four private school classifications)... Career bests include nine three-pointers in a Dec. 2018 win over Thiboduax… Also ran cross country.
 
PERSONAL
Born July of 2002...mother is Lorraine Thomas...has three siblings: Calvin Taylor, Jahan Pierre and Niela Kiesley...favorite food is lasagna.