Long before Jaron Pierre wanted the NBA life, he simply wanted a T-shirt.

So when he would attend New Orleans Pelicans games in the Smoothie King Center as a kid, his sole mission was to catch one of the souvenirs launched from the T-shirt cannon during timeouts.

One night, he got lucky and snatched one.

“The shirt was a size 3X, down to my feet,” Pierre said. “I was dancing so hard. I wasn’t even watching the game anymore. I was just happy I had a shirt.”

But the joy from his childhood doesn’t come close to the joy Pierre had Monday morning at his introductory news conference when he stood beside Joe Dumars and held up his No. 10 Pelicans jersey.

“I almost dropped a tear,” Pierre said of when he got the news of his selection. “It felt surreal.”

Pierre, drafted with the No. 58 overall pick Wednesday, is a Pelican now.

This time, his Pelicans gear doesn’t drape down to his feet. It fits perfectly, which is just how Dumars expects the nearly 24-year-old guard from SMU to fit on the roster. Dumars, heading into his second season as the executive vice president of basketball operations, had just one pick in this year’s draft.

“We’re trying to hit on every pick that we bring in here,” Dumars said. “We don’t take any of them for granted. There’s a certain type of player that we are looking for. We are looking for guys who are competitive. We are looking for guys who have toughness. And we are looking for guys who really want to be here in New Orleans. Jaron checks the box for all of those.”

The city of New Orleans made Pierre whom he is today. That’s evident by the shiny chain with the glistening “5” dangling around his neck. That five represents the 5th Ward, the part of the city that raised him. He wore that number at St. Augustine High School. He also wore that number at SMU, where he averaged 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during his one season playing with the Mustangs.

Now that kid with the big dreams from the 5th Ward is back in his hometown. His road to the NBA was a long and winding one, with stops at four schools in six years. When he graduated from St. Aug in 2020, he first attended Southern Mississippi. He wore No. 55 there both seasons in Hattiesburg. From there, he transferred to Wichita State and then Jacksonville State before finishing up at SMU. (Yes, he wore No. 5 at those two schools, too). 

There’s a simple message in his resilience.

“Never giving up,” Pierre said. “Staying the course. Keeping my head down and working.”

It’s a path that former NBA guard and St. Aug alum Avery Johnson knows well.

“I’m incredibly proud of Jaron and all his hard work and tenacity,” Johnson said.” Like Jaron, I transferred colleges before finding my home at Southern University. Sometimes, the journey isn’t a straight line. But good things come to those who grind.”

That’s’ what Pierre did to make it this far. And for him, the grind will continue.

He worked out for the Pelicans last year and then again this year. He felt like he did well in his pre-draft workouts. Besides being a player who can score at all three levels, Pierre also believes his leadership can be an asset.

“Being an older guy, I’m very seasoned already,” Pierre said. “I bring a lot of things. Defense. Toughness. Competitiveness. Energy. I bring a lot of things to the table that I know (Dumars) wants to see.”

Pierre has leaned on the advice of another Louisiana guard who made it to the NBA — Gretna native and former Pelican Elfrid Payton. Payton’s advice to him has been simple.

“Stay consistent. Stay level-headed. Keep the distractions out. Stay locked in and your time will come.”

For Pierre, his time came last week when he got the phone call letting him know he was being drafted by the Pelicans.

He admits he started getting a bit nervous the longer the draft lasted. Only two players were drafted behind him at picks No. 59 and 60, but Pierre doesn’t mind. He just wants to make the most of this opportunity to play in the Smoothie King Center just 3 miles away from his high school at 2600 A.P. Tureaud Ave.

Instead of being the fan trying to catch T-shirts, Pierre gets to help provide the entertainment.

“It means everything,” Pierre said. “From watching those games when I was young to now everybody coming and watching me play is a big life change. Full circle for me. I grew up watching the Pelicans. So playing for the Pelicans is beautiful.”