What Matt Painter Likes Most About Purdue's Addition of Caden Pierce

Caden Pierce has many winning qualities that he developed in three seasons at Princeton. What does Matt Painter like about his new forward?

New Purdue forward Caden Pierce while at Princeton. | USA TODAY Sports

When you catch Caden Pierce on the practice floor, it's easy to understand why Purdue made a hard push for the former Princeton forward. His athleticism, instincts and knowledge of the game reall stand out.

But the one thing that separates Pierce from others, and a major reason why coach Matt Painter wanted to bring him to West Lafayette, is his winning background. That shouldn't be huge surprise to anyone who follows Purdue's program, as Painter places a high value on success.

Pierce spent three seasons at Princeton, where the Tigers reached the postseason twice. They made an NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16 in 2023 and earned a spot in the NIT the following year.

In both 2023 and 2024, Princeton won the Ivy League's regular-season championship. Pierce was named the Ivy League Player of the Year after averaging 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game as a sophomore in that 2023-24 campaign.

"He was a successful player and he played well in big games at Princeton. He played well in the NCAA Tournament, when it mattered, when they were competing for championships," Painter said following Purdue's practice on Tuesday. "His experiences have been as a focal player. He's really worked to put himself in a good position."

Princeton Tigers forward Caden Pierce (3) reacts after scoring a three-point basket. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

That "position" is fighting for a starting job with one of the Big Ten's premier basketball programs. It's likely that Pierce will play the four spot for the Boilermakers, though he's versatile enough to play the three, if necessary. He also played an undersized five at times while at Princeton.

Playing the five seems unlikely for someone who stands 6-foot-7 and possesses so much athleticism, but Painter doesn't want to rule anything out. It's his ability to play and defend multiple positions on the floor that Purdue really likes about the graduate transfer.

"That versatility is really what we're looking for," Painter said. "His ability to play a couple different spots. We really play him as the four, but that could change. It just depends. But his versatility — he understands things defensively. That really helps."

Pierce is in a unique situation at Purdue

Princeton Tigers forward Caden Pierce (12) battles Creighton Bluejays forward Arthur Kaluma (24). | USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to find unique situations in college basketball these days because of the current landscape. However, Pierce does find himself in an interesting spot as he joins the Boilermakers for his final season of college basketball.

Pierce is the player with the most college experience on Purdue's roster, with C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris not far behind. He's still a newcomer, though, and a player who must pick up offensive sets and defensive philosophies relatively quickly.

Painter doesn't believe that's going to be a problem.

"When you get your degree in economics from Princeton, I'm pretty sure you're going to be able to figure it out," Painter joked.

To that point, Pierce looked comfortable on the practice floor with his new team. That's not always common for transfer players in the summer months.

Pierce and his teammates are going to have an excellent opportunity to develop that chemistry even more starting this weekend. The Boilermakers head to Canada at the end of the week and will begin international competition on Saturday.

That will provide fans an opportunity to see what the staff is so high on what Pierce can bring to this year's squad.

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