Purdue Men's Basketball Adds Transfer Portal Prospect Caden Pierce

The 6-foot-6 forward from Illinois joins the Boilermakers after three seasons at Princeton.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 2:07am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a basketball player in motion, with their body and movements broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette.Purdue's new transfer addition Caden Pierce brings a versatile skill set that will help the Boilermakers reload for another deep NCAA Tournament run.Glen Ellyn Today

Purdue men's basketball has signed transfer portal prospect Caden Pierce, a 6-foot-6 forward from Glen Ellyn, Illinois who spent the last three seasons playing at Princeton. Pierce, the brother of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce, has averaged 11.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in his college career so far.

Why it matters

Purdue is looking to reload after losing several key starters from last season's Elite Eight team, and the addition of Pierce provides them with an experienced transfer who can help fill those gaps in their frontcourt rotation.

The details

Pierce spent the last three seasons at Princeton, where he averaged a career-high 16.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season. He helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in his freshman year, though the team failed to make the Big Dance in the following two seasons. Pierce redshirted the 2025-26 season before entering the transfer portal.

  • Pierce spent the last three seasons playing at Princeton from 2023-24 through 2025-26.
  • He redshirted the 2025-26 season before entering the transfer portal.
  • Purdue announced the addition of Pierce to their 2026-27 roster on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.

The players

Caden Pierce

A 6-foot-6 forward from Glen Ellyn, Illinois who spent the last three seasons playing at Princeton, where he averaged 11.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Alec Pierce

Caden's brother, who plays wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.

Fletcher Loyer

A senior starter for Purdue last season who ran out of college eligibility.

Braden Smith

A senior starter for Purdue last season who ran out of college eligibility.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A senior starter for Purdue last season who ran out of college eligibility.

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What they’re saying

“Caden Pierce has the potential to be a real difference-maker for us next season. His size, skill, and experience at the Division I level will be a huge asset as we look to replace some key pieces from last year's team.”

— Matt Painter, Purdue Head Coach

What’s next

Caden Pierce will join the Purdue roster for the 2026-27 season, where he will look to help the Boilermakers build on their Elite Eight run from the previous year.

The takeaway

The addition of Caden Pierce provides Purdue with an experienced and talented transfer who can help offset the loss of several key starters from last season's successful team. His ability to contribute at both ends of the floor should make him a valuable piece for the Boilermakers as they aim to remain among the top programs in the Big Ten and nationally.