Razorbacks, Calipari get answer from coveted transfer

While he did enter the transfer portal, he still has yet to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, but has until midnight May 28 to do so.

Razorbacks coach John Calipari outlined a list of prerequisites for transfers who wished to join his program during  an executive address April 9. That night, he shared his intention to build a roster on returning players, incoming freshmen and those from the portal.

"The transfers coming in, they got to be great teammates," Calipari concluded during his video. "They've got to add to what we're doing. They've got to want to get better. They've got to want to be that next level. 'Help me' as I tell them, 'You're helping us. Let's make this about each other.'"

Pierre is an energizer bunny in backcourt playing 40+ minutes in nine games for the Gamecocks this season and 35+ minutes in 32-of-36 appearances. He's a prolific scorer, finishing last season with 777 points on 42% from the field, 38% from three and 81% at the stripe.

The Razorbacks have missed on several other targets this offseason including Keyshawn Hall (committed to Auburn), Morez Johnson (committed to Michigan), Yaxel Lendeborg (committed to Michigan) and San Francisco's Tyrone Riley who withdrew from the transfer portal last week.

Arkansas remains in the race for a pair of talented big men in South Carolina transfer forward Nick Pringle and Florida State center Malique Ewin. Ewin has arrived for his scheduled visit with the Razorbacks Monday evening.

Former North Carolina guard Ian Jackson entered his name into the portal last week which brought up the possibility Arkansas would be interested given he chose the Tar Heels after a lengthy battle with former coach Eric Musselman. Although he hasn't visited Fayetteville at this moment, he has taken a pair of trips to USC and St. John's.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard averaged 12 points, three rebounds, and one assist per game for North Carolina this season.

Jackson showed an ability to be a volume scorer at points as a freshman when he ripped through ACC competition during a 10-game stretch when he posted posted 19 points, four rebounds per game from Dec. 12, 2004 through Jan. 25 which included a career-high outing of 27 points at Notre Dame.

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