Star forward Khamil Pierre sudden dismissal have Vanderbilt fans shocked: "Dumbest move ever"

Vanderbilt Commodores fans were left in disbelief after the program announced on Monday that star forward Khamil Pierre is no longer part of the team. The shocking news was shared via Instagram, and reactions from the fanbase poured in, with many questioning the decision and its timing.

Commodores coach Shea Ralph released a statement addressing the development:

“Khamil is a great player and I have no doubt she will have success in the future,” Ralph said. “Ultimately, it was determined it would be best for Khamil and our program to go in different directions. We wish her the best of luck.”

Fans flooded the comments, expressing confusion, anger and disappointment.

“Sooooo what happened in that 2 month period from where you all gave a heartfelt post where she said she was staying and not entering the portal to whatever this is??” one fan asked.

"It’s like nobody wants to win games anymore!" another fan wrote.

One fan noted they had already sensed issues within the team:

“We all knew this was happening by watching them play. Surprised it didn’t happen earlier in the summer.”

Others could not believe the move had been made at all.

“Wish her the best. She’s a terrific player,” one fan wrote.

“NOOOOOOOO. bought season tickets for my girl just to be met with this???” another fan said.

“Dumbest move ever by Vandy😂. Now who helps ADR down there??” a fan commented.

Pierre had an outstanding 2024-25 season, averaging 20.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals over 32 games. Her performances were vital to Vanderbilt’s back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

Can Khamil Pierre still enter the transfer portal?

As for her future, the transfer portal officially closed in April, meaning Khamil Pierre cannot transfer without restrictions, unless Vanderbilt removed her from the team, which may allow a loophole.

Reports suggest she could still play in the 2025-26 season if she transfers as a regular student with no prior contact with the new program’s staff.

Regardless of how this unfolds, it is clear that Pierre will not lack offers, as she was one of the top performers last season.

About the author

Babatunde Kolawole is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over eight years of experience in the field with Canoncrested.com, Garbersports.com, LiveScore Bet Nigeria and Pulse Sports Nigeria.

Kolawole studied Agricultural Economics on the tertiary level but delved into sports writing after school. Over half a decade later, the experience garnered helped him land this role.

Historically, the Alabama Crimson Tide stands out as Kolawole's favorite team as he was drawn to their rich history.

As for basketball, JuJu Watkins is Kolawole's favorite current player due to how much diversity she has in her game, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets the nod for past players because of how he dominated with UCLA.

Kolawole has appeared on several TV and Radio shows as a guest analyst, and in his spare time, likes to watch movies (a sucker for the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and listen to a lot of music. He also loves to travel.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos