Belmont’s Sam Orme (14), Jonathan Pierre (3) and MTSU forward Essam Mostafa, right, go up for a rebound during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nets Work Out Underrated Forward Ahead of 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Brooklyn Nets on SI
By Tyler Carmona | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Sometimes the best things in life come when you least expect them. While many of the most dominant and intriguing prospects will come off the board in the first round of the NBA Draft, there are still plenty of under-the-radar players who can contribute at the next level even if they aren’t jaw-dropping talents.

Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets reportedly hosted a workout for a lesser-known wing from a smaller program.

Nets on SI takes a closer look at Belmont University's Jonathan Pierre's collegiate career:

Jonathan Pierre (Belmont University)

Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During his lone season at Belmont, Pierre led the team in scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 ppg) and was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team while leading the Bruins to the conference tournament semifinals.

Since arriving at Belmont, he has showcased his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor by regularly filling up the stat sheet. In a game against Richmond, he scored 28 points, dished out nine assists, and grabbed seven rebounds. Earlier in the season, he recorded 22 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists during a matchup against Oral Roberts.

Before transferring to Belmont, he has also spent time at the University of Memphis and Nova Southeastern University.

While playing at Nova Southeastern University, he helped lead the Sharks to a Division II National Championship while averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

After moving up to Division I with Memphis, Pierre saw limited playing time, appearing in just 19 games while making one start. During his time with the Tigers, he averaged 1.8 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

When asked about Pierre’s production, Belmont head coach Casey Alexander explained that while he expected Pierre to be a contributor upon transferring, he did not anticipate him becoming such a well-rounded player.

“He’s a really versatile player,” Alexander said. “He’s playing a really significant role. For a guy that’s 6'9", he has really good feel and IQ all over the floor. We knew he was a good player, but we didn’t know that he had the guard skills that he does.”

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 25.

This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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