Wes Moore isn’t quite ready to say he feels better about the frontcourt heading into this season compared to last year — at least not yet. The season is still months away. But there’s definitely less concern now than there was just a few weeks ago.
That shift came after the Wolfpack caught a fortunate break, adding one of the SEC’s rising stars to their frontcourt in an unusual turn of events. Former Vanderbilt forward Khamil Pierre officially joined N.C. State last week, roughly two weeks after reportedly being dismissed from Vanderbilt’s team. Her departure came about two months after the NCAA transfer portal had closed.
“I think the good Lord looked down on me and said, ‘OK, you dumb butt. You’ve totally messed up this portal thing here. Let me help you out a little bit,’” Moore said Wednesday at a summer media availability. “Really fortunate the way things worked out.”
Moore called Pierre’s addition “an unusual situation.” Pierre, a Phoenix native, applied to several schools as a regular student, including N.C. State, where she also hoped to play. A third-party recruiting service contacted schools to express her interest. Once she was accepted, N.C. State’s coaches were cleared to speak with her.
Fortunately, the Wolfpack already had a connection — they’d recruited Pierre in high school. Moore also credited the compliance departments at both N.C. State and Vanderbilt for making sure everything was handled by the book.
“We’re excited to have her here,” Wes Moore said of Khamil Pierre. “I mean, goodness, she’s a walking double-double — and she’s done it at a high level. Exactly what we needed.”
Pierre arrives in Raleigh as one of the top centers in college basketball. Last season at Vanderbilt, she averaged 20.4 points on 49.8% shooting, 9.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2 steals per game — the only player in the nation to post those numbers. As a sophomore, she recorded 17 double-doubles, scored in double figures in all but one game, and reached 20+ points in 16 outings. Her standout performance came in a win over Evansville, where she notched a career-high 42 points and 18 rebounds.
A four-star recruit in the Class of 2023 — the same class as N.C. State’s Zoe Brooks — Pierre was heavily recruited by the Wolfpack before ultimately choosing Vanderbilt. Though there were midseason rumors she’d enter the transfer portal, she never officially did, and even voiced support for Commodores coach Shea Ralph’s vision on social media.
Pierre now joins UConn transfer Qadence Samuels as a key addition to the Wolfpack’s roster. Moore said he spoke with Ralph about Pierre and with Geno Auriemma about Samuels — both coaches offered positive feedback about the players.
N.C. State now has 11 players on its roster: seven returners, two incoming freshmen, and two transfers. Moore said he’s comfortable with that number. “For a while, when we were sitting at nine, I was getting ready to call [baseball coach] Elliott Avent and ask if we could share the Pack Nine brand,” Moore joked. “Luckily, we didn’t have to do that.”
Much of the offseason stress came from missing out on several portal targets, including Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech to USC), Kylee Kitts (Florida to Ohio State), and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (Texas to Vanderbilt). Moore admitted to missteps in the portal process, calling himself “not a very good GM,” and cited multiple reasons: underestimating the financial demands of top players, avoiding overpaying at the expense of current players, and occasionally realizing a player just wasn’t the right fit.
“From Day 1, my top priority was keeping our players — and we did,” Moore said. “We kept the core of our team. It’s a different era. I’m learning. But hey, like I said, the Lord shined down on me.
N.C. State’s newest recruiting class includes two four-star signees: Adelaide Jernigan and Ky’She Lunan. Head coach Wes Moore described Jernigan as a skilled shooter with room to grow defensively, while Lunan brings strong defensive instincts and is working on becoming a more consistent offensive threat.
Sophomore guard Zamareya Jones is enthusiastic about the incoming talent and has already been impressed by the freshmen. “Ky’She is a mid-range game lefty — another Zaza coming,” Jones said, referring to former teammate and current WNBA rookie Aziaha James. “Adelaide has a great shot; out of this world. I’m just glad they chose N.C. State, and I’m ready to play for them this year.”
Jones believes the caliber of players joining the Wolfpack reflects well on the program’s growing reputation. N.C. State has made the NCAA Tournament nine years in a row — eight appearances, due to the COVID-19 cancellation — and reached at least the Sweet 16 in six of those seasons. The program also hasn’t finished lower than fourth in the ACC regular-season standings since 2015–16.
“I feel like we have a great coaching staff that believes in us and works hard,” Jones said. “The ACC is coming up, and N.C. State is here to stay.”
While the full nonconference schedule has yet to be announced, the Wolfpack is set to face Southern Cal on Nov. 9 in Charlotte as part of the Ally Tipoff.
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