Former three-year Princeton Tigers forward and one-time Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce entered the transfer portal back in September and popped up the Duke basketball radar a month or two later. In early December, the 6-foot-7, 225-pound college hoops veteran was on campus in Durham to check out the program in person, sitting behind the home bench to watch the Blue Devils pick up a dramatic 67-66 win over the Florida Gators in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
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But reports of mutual interest between Duke and Pierce eventually faded. And on Friday afternoon, the coveted transfer target announced his decision to suit up for the Purdue Boilermakers next season, in what will be his final year of eligibility.
BREAKING: Former Princeton star Caden Pierce, the 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year, is transferring to Purdue, he told ESPN.
"When I was on campus, with the coaches and with the guys, it felt like a great place for me. I wanted to be a part of that program," Pierce said. pic.twitter.com/o5utmiOTsx
– Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 13, 2026
"When I was on campus, with the coaches and with the guys, it felt like a great place for me," Pierce, currently sitting out this season to focus on completing his degree requirements at Princeton, explained to ESPN's Jeff Borzello about his commitment to the Boilermakers. "I wanted to be a part of that program."
Other Caden Pierce Suitors Who Fell Short
Caden Pierce, a former unrated prep who hails from Glen Ellyn, Ill., and is the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce and former UNC Tar Heels forward Justin Pierce, also visited the UConn Huskies, Grand Canyon Antelopes, Louisville Cardinals, and Gonzaga Bulldogs in his recruitment as a transfer.
After becoming the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2022-23, Pierce averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 2023-24 en route to taking home the Ivy League Player of the Year hardware. However, his numbers dropped a bit the following season as a junior.
Meanwhile, Jon Scheyer's Duke basketball staff enjoys four early signees on the 2026 recruiting trail.
That heralded Blue Devil haul, sitting atop the rankings in the cycle, consists of Heritage High School (Texas) five-star small forward Bryson Howard, IMG Academy (Fla.) four-star center Maxime Meyer, St. Mary's Catholic High School (Ariz.) five-star power forward Cameron Williams, and Blair Academy (N.J.) five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Duke Basketball Transfer Target Commits to Boilermakers.