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Temple Basketball: McKie recruits Josh Pierre-Louis to join brother Nate

By Pan Karalis

VILLANOVA, PA - DECEMBER 05: Assistant coach Aaron Mckie of the Temple Owls looks on prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Finneran Pavilion on December 5, 2018 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
VILLANOVA, PA - DECEMBER 05: Assistant coach Aaron Mckie of the Temple Owls looks on prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Finneran Pavilion on December 5, 2018 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Josh Pierre-Louis commits to Aaron McKie and Temple basketball, joining brother Nate on North Broad.

2019 guard Josh Pierre-Louis has committed to Aaron McKie and Temple basketball. Josh joins his brother Nate, who is a rising junior at Temple and was chosen as the Most Improved Player in the American Athletic Conference this past season.

Pierre-Louis had signed a National Letter of Intent with UNLV in November, but requested his release when head coach Marvin Menzies was terminated by the school in March. His decision to commit to Temple became public two days after UNLV hired South Dakota State coach TJ Otzelberger to head up their program, although some sources claim to have had the information earlier this week.

The Roselle Catholic (NJ) product averaged over 14 points, three assists, three boards, and two steals per game in his senior year with the Lions. Described as a scoring point guard with “freakish athleticism,” Pierre-Louis was one of the most improved prospects in the region this past season. His national rank of No. 357 was expected to go up in the final rankings, and his initial offers included those from Xavier, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State, and Mississippi State. More high-majors were expected to pursue him after his de-commitment from UNLV.

Pierre-Louis did have a few injury problems during his team’s run in the state playoffs, though; he broke his hand in the North Jersey Non-Public B final against Gill St. Bernard’s in early March, and was taken off the floor in a stretcher a few days later in Roselle Catholic’s six-point loss to Ranney in the state final in Toms River with a concussion. Neither injury should prevent Pierre-Louis from being available for Temple in November.

It’s unclear at this point whether Pierre-Louis will compete for playing time his freshman year, but with only one other true point guard on the roster in Alani Moore, the opportunity will certainly be there Pierre-Louis.

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Pierre-Louis’ commitment is the first for Aaron McKie as Temple’s head coach, and the announcement comes only a week and a half after McKie officially took over in that capacity. Temple fans hope his commitment is an indication of McKie’s ability to attract local guards. Temple had a difficult time securing true point guards in the last few years under Fran Dunphy, and the expectation is that McKie, a former NBA guard who has a strong reputation for developing backcourt players, will change that trend.