WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – One of the most-sought after transfers in the country, Caden Pierce has signed his paperwork and will join the Purdue men’s basketball program for the 2026-27 season.
Pierce, a 6-foot, 7-inch, 225-pound forward from Glyn Ellen, Illinois (Glenbard West High School) played three years at Princeton from the 2022-23 to 2024-25 seasons, before preserving his final year of eligibility with a redshirt year in 2025-26, while completing his degree at Princeton.
Pierce signed with Purdue after visiting Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville and Connecticut.
Pierce had an outstanding career at Princeton, starting 89 of 90 career games for the Tigers. As a sophomore during the 2023-24 season, Pierce was selected as the Ivy League Player of the Year after averaging 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point range, leading the Tigers to a 24-5 record and an Ivy League regular-season title. He was one of just six underclassmen in the last 40 years to average at least 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal per game, while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
In 2024-25, Pierce battled injuries to play in 29 games, averaging 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
As a freshman in 2022-23, Pierce played a vital role in the Tigers advancing to the Sweet 16, averaging 8.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game en route to Ivy League Rookie of the Year accolades. In a round of 32 win over Missouri, Pierce had nine points and 16 rebounds to help move the Tigers into the second weekend.
Pierce was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year watch list before the 2024-25 season, was the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy National Player of the Week in Dec. 2024 after leading the Tigers to an 83-82 win over Rutgers with 21 points and 14 rebounds. He was also selected as a six-time Ivy League Player of the Week and four-time Ivy League Rookie of the Week. He was one of five players in Princeton history to tally at least 1,000 points and 700 rebounds in a career.
More recently, Pierce lead Team USA to the FIBA 3x3 Champions Cup in mid-March in Bangkok, Thailand. In five games at the tournament, Pierce averaged a team-high 4.8 points and 6.6 rebounds while being named the tournament MVP.
Pierce has been active in USA Basketball’s 3x3 team since the 2024 calendar year.
Prior to his collegiate tenure, Pierce led Glenbard West to the 2022 Illinois Class 4A IHSA State Championship with a 37-1 record. He was a two-time all-state selection and was the all-time assists and steals leader at Glenbard West. He helped his AAU team, the Illinois Wolves, to the 17U National Championship in 2021. Pierce is also a standout golfer, helping his team to a fourth-place showing in 2021 while being named all-conference twice.
Pierce comes from an athletic family as his father, Greg, and mother, Stephanie, played football and volleyball respectively at Northwestern. His brother, Alec, is a standout wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts who led the NFL in yards per catch last season (47 catches, 1,003 yards; 21.3 YPC). Another brother, Justin, plays basketball professionally overseas after playing three years of basketball at William and Mary and one at North Carolina. Justin was a teammate of Caden’s in the FIBA 3x3 Champions Cup in March.
The Boilermakers are ranked in the top 20 of nearly every “way-too-early” top-25 poll for the upcoming season that was released after last night’s national title game.