Exclusive: How Pelicans’ Jaron Pierre Jr. earned Kevin Garnett’s Anthony Edwards, LeBron James comparisions

Kevin Garnett doesn’t hand out comparisons lightly, so when the Hall of Famer recently likened second-round draft pick Jaron Pierre Jr. to a blend of Anthony Edwards and LeBron James, it immediately turned heads. However, the comparison wasn’t simply about athleticism, explosiveness, and rim pressure. Garnett was describing a player capable of overwhelming defenses with power, speed, and an attacking mentality. The New Orleans Pelicans apparently saw those same traits when they selected the St. Augustine High product with the NBA Draft’s 58th overall pick.

To better understand Pierre Jr.’s journey and why the Pelicans believe they found one of the draft’s biggest steals, ClutchPoints spoke exclusively with longtime trainer Rory Poplion, who has watched the New Orleans native evolve from an intriguing athlete into an NBA prospect.

“The crazy part about that Kevin Garnett clip, I was blown away by it,” Poplion began. “I had KG’s jersey as a kid. I was big on the Stephon Marbury and Garnett tandem, but Jaron Pierre, if you look at his highlights, it looks like a video game.”

Pierre Jr.’s basketball journey wasn’t the straight line many lottery picks enjoy. He arrived at Southern Miss as an elite athlete whose basketball polish remained a question. His physical gifts were obvious, but evaluators wondered whether his skill level would ever catch up. Transfers to Wichita State and Jacksonville State allowed Pierre Jr. to answer one question after another.

By the time Pierre Jr. reached SMU, the questions had changed entirely. Instead of wondering whether he belonged, scouts wanted to know whether he could thrive as the focal point of an offense in a power conference while facing nightly double teams and heightened NIL-era expectations.

Poplion was not the only OG explaining how ‘Wicked JP’ answered the bell once again.

“Shot 38% from three the last two seasons. He averaged 21.6 points per game at Jacksonville State and averaged 17.6 points per game at SMU,” laughed Poplion. “That season at Jax State showed that he was one of the best players in the country. Dennis Scott, an Orlando Magic great, loved (Pierre), said he was one of his favorite players in the country. Damon Stoudamire, shoutout to MightyMouse at LSU, said Jaron was the most pro-ready player that he’d seen all year.”

Statistics helped Pierre Jr.’s case. An undeniable New Orleans mentality may have sealed it.

Why Pelicans watched Wicked

Forget any soft labels or comparisons to current All-Stars. Jaron Pierre Jr. is all Mamba Mentality.

“I just think that Jaron is a dog. That’s it. And it’s crazy that his game is still growing,” explained Poplion. “His Jax State year, you started to see the post-fades. You started to see the Kobe. Like, he loves Kobe Bryant. And with his frame, 6-foot-6 with 210 pounds. I’m 200 pounds. When you’re holding those pads, JP is going to punish defenders on those bumps. That’s why he is able to get to where he wants to go in transition. And what’s crazy, I’m not sure if it’s been measured, but his speed from the corner or the wing to the opposite rim is incredible. And it picks up brother!”

If that play sounds familiar, well, LeBron’s chase-down block is legendary. Expect to see a few of those highlights at the Lakefront Arena. If not, well, the skeptic will be proven correct. Unfortunately, Pierre Jr.’s defense was something NBA scouts didn’t like looking at last season.

Poplion believes context mattered. The Pelicans seemed to have seen enough over the last 18 months to figure out the wrinkles later.

“When you’re asked to carry a heavy offensive load, I don’t think it’s that you lack in defense, but it becomes secondary in your mind because of what everyone is called upon to do,” Poplion noted. “It’s about role and ability. You might be in one role, but have the ability that can expand to another.”

By all accounts, the Pelicans are betting that a smaller offensive workload will allow Pierre Jr.’s athleticism and competitiveness to shine more consistently on the defensive end. If so, New Orleans will have their starting PG and a high-upside bench bucket-getter in place for the next five years.

“Thinking about (Pierre Jr.) with Fears, who I watched a ton in college, and those two would be dynamic together. Just the way they play, their styles complement each other,” Poplion believes. “I’ve seen (Pierre Jr.) in those rooms with those top-20, top-25 type picks. I’ve seen him in rooms with guys who’ve been in the league and it gets scary when he is locked in.”

That is why Pierre Jr.’s performance during the NBA Draft Combine surprised some evaluators. Instead of aggressively hunting shots, the natural scorer often looked to create for teammates. League sources told ClutchPoints that it seemed Pierre Jr. intentionally tried to demonstrate his playmaking ability, leading to several uncharacteristic turnovers in the chaotic showcase environment.

Poplion confirmed that assessment while explaining the person behind the decision.

“Jaron is the life of the party but also the worker of workers. So, when it’s time to have a great time with teammates and be a locker room guy, he is going to big up guys,” the Delgado CC coach stressed. “That’s one thing people will see is that if someone is having success alongside him, he’d rather that over just being the guy. Every time his teammates did something well, I saw how excited he was…(The Pelicans) will love him.”

“But I think when you go to showcases like (the NBA Draft combine), sometimes people do too much by trying to do too much. And sometimes people do enough, but in different settings, they show and prove that they’re capable of doing those things,” added Poplion. “I think when you’re in a setting like that, and you’re playing with some of the best players in the world fresh off your season, some players may take 20 shots. They may make seven. Now, if you’re on your team, it may not be scrutinized. It may not be looked at in great detail, but there is a certain way to play the game.”

So, though it was wonky and looked ugly at times, things worked out in the end.

“Yeah, he was deferring. He was facilitating. He shot when he was open,” shrugged Poplion. “I mean, there was one game where he shot over 10 shots. For the most part, (Pierre Jr.) is trying to find his teammates. See, people don’t realize that. If you go back and watch the Jacksonville State tape, a lot of the SMU, he is like Clark Kent in the first half. In the second half, he is Superman.”

LeBron is one thing. Superman?

“So, if you look at his productivity right, I guarantee out of those 21.6 points per game, those 17-18 points per game, I guarantee a majority of his points were scored late in the second half. And he is not the guy who gets the ball at the end of the game and shoots free throws to get five or six more points per game like that. He is the guy who, when they need him, is going to show up.”

For Pierre Jr., the Anthony Edwards and LeBron James comparisons generate headlines while adding fuel to the fire. Superman may be near impossible, given Shaq’s ownership of the nickname. But for those who have watched Jaron grow from an overlooked prospect into an NBA player, the hometown opportunity means even more. That’s why he will undoubtedly make the Pelicans proud of their decision every time he steps on the court.

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