Many know by now that NC State has hired a new assistant coach by the name of Butch Pierre. However, who exactly is Butch and why is he a good hire? Let’s breakdown where he has been and how he got to NC State.

Playing Career: 4 years Mississippi State Bulldogs (1980-1984) 

Butch Pierre was a point guard for the Bulldogs and was a great defensive player who knew how to set up his team. He finished his playing career with 342 assists, landing him with 9th place all-time. In his four years at Mississippi State he learned the ins and outs of college basketball. His work ethic was recognized throughout his career and was rewarded with an assistant coaching job at Mississippi State upon graduation.

Coaching History: 

• 1984-86 Assistant Coach Mississippi State
•  1886-88 Assistant Coach Kentucky State
• 1988-96 Assistant Coach Southwestern Louisiana
• 1996-97 Assistant Coach UNC Charlotte
• 1997-02 Assistant Coach LSU
• 2002-08 Assistant Head Coach LSU
• 2008 Interim Head Coach LSU
• 2008-16 Assistant Coach Oklahoma State

As evident above, Butch Pierre has been around college basketball for quite some time, and has plenty of experience coaching in competitive environments. His experience will be called upon in ACC play, as State will look to rebound from an awful 2015-2016 season.

While Butch was at Oklahoma State he was called upon to build their defensive scheme and philosophy. I cannot think of a greater area that NC State needs help in. It is no secret that Coach Gottfried’s weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, and he has stated that they must all improve heading into next season. Expect Gottfried to call upon Pierre for assistance in building a more respective defensive unit.

Key recruits: 

• Tyus Thomas
• Glenn “big baby” Davis
• Marcus Thorton
• Stromile Swift
• Le’Bryan Nash
• Marcus Smart
• Garrett Temple
• Anthony Randolph
• Brandon Bass
• Ronald Dupri
• Jabari Smith
• Kevin Brooks

In his time with LSU, Pierre helped the Tigers secure 4 McDonalds All-Americans, 9 Parade All-Americans, 7 Junior College All-Americans, and 2 Junior College Players of the Year. While at Oklahoma State, he was instrumental in bringing the program’s highest rated recruit, Le’Bryan Nash (4th overall).

Not only has Pierre been recognized by his peers as an excellent coach/recruiter, but Dick Vitale named Pierre one of the top assistants in the country primed to become a head coach.

Moving forward: 

It is clear that Gottfried doesn’t want to take any chances. Gottfried wants a proven commodity and Pierre fits that description beautifully. Another tidbit that I respect about Butch Pierre is that he knows the importance of education; not only did he graduate from Mississippi State but he also earned his Masters Degree from the Bulldogs.

Loyalty is evident in Pierre’s coaching history, as he has had long stays in both of his previous coaching jobs at Oklahoma State and LSU. NC State will need Pierre more than ever as they must start sealing some deals on the recruiting trail. Recruiting will not get any easier, especially in the ACC and close to Duke and UNC.

It will take some time to tell just how good of a hire Butch Pierre will be, but as of right now he appears to be a good fit and one that has the potential to help the Pack!