NC State makes big splash with addition of former Vanderbilt forward Khamil Pierre

Well hello there.

It turns out Wes Moore had a big offseason move up his sleeve after all. On Tuesday, NC State announced the addition of Vanderbilt transfer forward Khamil Pierre, who averaged 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2025.

Pierre shot 51.2% on twos last season and was an excellent rebounder at both ends of the floor. She took an impressive step forward as a sophomore pretty much across the board—she nearly doubled her assist rate while cutting down on turnovers substantially, and posted an elite steal rate. The latter is one of the most impressive things about her, as she collected at least three steals in 18 games last season. Against Evansville in mid-December, she scored 42 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, and had eight steals.

Pierre was a very high-workload player at Vanderbilt, with a usage north of 29%, but she won’t need to carry that much of the offense at NC State, which should lead to improvement in her efficiency. She should see time at both the four and the five in Raleigh—she’s more power forward than stretch-four.

The circumstances surrounding her departure from Vanderbilt are unusual—she actually announced in April that she would not be entering the portal, and ended up withdrawing from school just a couple weeks ago, well after the portal had closed. Whatever the reasons for the change of heart, Wes Moore certainly isn’t complaining.