Two seasons ago, Caden Pierce was named the Ivy League’s Player of the Year. Now, he’s benching himself ahead of his senior year with plans to enter the transfer portal.

Pierce, a forward on the Princeton basketball team, announced on social media that he plans to redshirt his final season with the Tigers while remaining at the school. After getting his degree, he’ll hit the portal.

 

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In a thank you to Princeton fans, he informed the fanbase of future plans.

“What I am learning as I continue to grow is that the ‘only constant in life is change,'” he wrote in a statement. “Whether that is teammates and coaches who I came in with leaving, or the broader landscape of college basketball evolving, all of these factors have led me to sit out my senior year of basketball at Princeton this upcoming season to preserve my eligibility.”

An interesting piece of his announcement sticks out. Caden Pierce commented on the “broader landscape of college basketball evolving.” That, of course, centers around NIL.

Princeton offers NIL opportunities for student-athletes. Those offers are far less lucrative than what can be provided by the sport’s top programs.

In 2024, Princeton Alumni Weekly described NIL deals for Tiger athletes as being “modest.” There is no collective pooling money for players. PAW reported that “fewer than 100 of the University’s approximately 1,100 varsity athletes” had engaged in NIL deals in the 2023-24 academic year.

“There’s not that big of an [NIL] market,” said former All-Ivy offensive lineman Jalen Travis before transferring to Iowa State.

Meanwhile, athletic director John Mack said in an interview with the Daily Princetonian that being the highest bidder for prospective athletes is “never going to be our philosophy.”

“I don’t want student athletes on our rosters who are only here because we’re paying them… The vast majority of student athletes on any campus on any roster are there because it provides an experience to be a student and an athlete at the institution that they chose, not because someone threw tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars at them.”

-John Mack

Caden Pierce hinted that NIL played a role in his transfer decision. He’s looking to secure a payday while also finding the right fit.

NIL is hurting Princeton basketball.

Despite mid-major status, the program has secured some top college basketball talent of late. Unfortunately, like many Ivy League rivals, it’s finding it difficult keep those players on the roster.

Earlier this offseason, star guard Xaivian Lee opted to leave Princeton for a $6 million payday in the SEC. His teammate is now looking to capitalize on his market value.

Caden Pierce scored 11.2 points per game last year while shooting 46.5% from the field. He averaged 16.6 points and 9.2 rebounds as a sophomore.

That production should lead to interest from major programs. Heck, given the endless tampering that persists in college sports, he might’ve already been in contact with potential suitors. His transfer announcement will only increase the noise.

It’s already been reported that a number of SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 schools have more than $10 million to spend on their rosters. Princeton simply can’t compete with those numbers.

That NIL disadvantage has resulted in the Tigers losing their top two players from last year’s roster. It will be interesting to see where Caden Pierce winds up, and if his decision to bench himself has a positive or negative effect on his future.

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