Jayden Pierre paying it forward before Providence debut
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (BVM) – On the basketball court, Jayden Pierre is one of the most dynamic guards in the country, but off of it, the incoming Providence freshman is trying his hand at creating opportunities away from his own play.
Ranking as New York’s No. 1 player for the Class of 2022, Pierre enjoyed an impressive high school career that started in his hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey and ended on Long Island. While he awaits his collegiate debut, Pierre has found a way to stay busy, putting together a basketball camp to give back to the community he grew up in. The New Jersey native is hosting his first ever youth camp for kids at the gym he trains at back home. His hope is that he can make it into an annual event.
“It’s something I look forward to doing,” Pierre said of his upcoming camp. “It’s my first one. I’ve been in the kids’ shoes before like growing up, playing and seeing a bunch of [the] top high school guys that went on to play at various levels. Just being there and seeing the process [when] that’s somewhere you want to be, I know that means a lot to the kids.”
After picking up the sport at a young age, Pierre and his dad have worked tirelessly to build up his own game. The two to this day try to get in workouts as often as possible when he returns home, now adding his 8-year-old brother to the mix. With the life lessons the game of basketball has taught him, he’s hoping he can share some of the knowledge he’s picked up to the kids in his city.
“[It’s] just a bunch of kids from the city that I want to see get better, have fun, develop as basketball players and as people, so it should be a good event,” Pierre said. “I love helping people, especially my little brother. He really showed me a lot. He motivates me so being able to help the youth and give back any way I can is big for me.”
Basketball has made a major impact on Pierre who is looking to use his outgoing personality to build a brand off the court as well. The recent Long Island Lutheran High School (LuHi) graduate collabed with openlocker.io to make an NFT this past February, making him one of the first New Jersey high schoolers to sign an NIL deal. He and his dad also created their own brand, the BAD (Basketball All Day) SocietyClub to help “inspire and motivate all young basketball players.”
Pierre’s impact on the game is easy to see, following an impressive run against high school and AAU competition, he has racked up a list of accomplishments, taking home Player of the Game MVP honors at the Hoophall Classic. Even with his success, Pierre has flown somewhat under the radar.
“I’ve never really been ranked too high,” Pierre said. “Growing up, I wasn’t really in all the rankings. I would say it definitely put a chip on my shoulder because I feel like when I compete against a lot of people, I perform well. I feel like I’m a great player and honestly I’m one of the best guards in the country.”
🤝 @jaytatum0 pic.twitter.com/a4ZGXbXPy1
— Jayden Pierre (@badsocietyclub) January 16, 2022
Pierre currently slots in at No. 131 nationally according to 247 Sports and after picking up offers from the likes of Florida and Minnesota throughout his recruiting cycle, decided to commit to Providence. Behind associate head coach Jeff Battle and head coach Ed Cooley, the two Friars coaches locked in on Pierre making sure they landed the LuHi guard.
“I think [Coach Cooley] was really hands on with everything,” Pierre said. “From our visit, that’s really what sold me. He was present at all times and he was there every step of the way for me. He always kept it real with me. He was telling me exactly how it was. He didn’t try and sugarcoat anything or B.S. anything… going there and being around a whole family environment was big for me.”
Pierre will likely carve out a solid role in the upcoming season with an open opportunity behind returning guard Jared Bynum. Providence enjoyed a standout 2021-22 season, going 27-6 before being knocked out by the eventual NCAA tournament champions in the Kansas Jayhawks.
Even with the opportunity, Pierre has his focus on one thing only.
“Really, win,” Pierre said when asked about his goals. “That’s always the main goal. Get better throughout the year because we have older guys, so it’s just learning as much as I can while they are there. Compete everyday in practice. There’s going to be a lot of high level practices because we have a lot of talent and whenever I’m on the floor, just produce. Produce to the best of my ability.”
The incoming guard has done that just about everywhere he’s gone, earning him the nickname, “The Package”. After a shortened junior campaign, Pierre enjoyed a return to normalcy as Long Island Lutheran traveled the country en-route to a 19-8 record. Behind wins against the likes of Kimball High School – who features one of the nation’s highest-rated guards in Arterio Morris – Pierre continued to show out on a national stage against the top competition.
“I’m pretty much the whole package,” Pierre said of the nickname’s origin. “I feel like I can do a lot on the court, so that’s pretty much where that came from.”
With his senior year wrapped up following his upcoming graduation, Pierre is set to make his next appearance on the basketball court for the Friars.
