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NC State’s Hidden Gem and a Look at ESPN’s Bias

As midseason rolls around in NCAA women’s basketball, discussions about players and awards are heating up. This year, ESPN’s Mid-Season All-American picks have gotten people talking—not just about who made the list but also about who didn’t. One player who’s been left off the radar is Khamil Pierre from NC State. As Wolfpack fans, it’s time to shine a light on her outstanding play and call out the biased narrative looming around these picks.

ESPN Mid-Season All-American

Let’s take a look at the players ESPN selected for their midseason All-American teams:

First Team

• Lauren Betts, C, UCLA
• Mikayla Blakes, G, Vanderbilt
• Madison Booker, F, Texas
• Olivia Miles, G, TCU
• Sarah Strong, F, UConn

Second Team

• Audi Crooks, C, Iowa State
• Joyce Edwards, F, South Carolina
• Azzi Fudd, G, UConn
• Rori Harmon, G, Texas
• Hannah Hidalgo, G, Notre Dame

Breaking Down the Numbers

To understand Khamil Pierre’s rightful place in the conversation, let’s examine how she stacks up against some of the forwards who made the first team:

Player	Points Per Game	Field Goal %	Rebounds Per Game
Joyce Edwards (SC)	20.7	.606	6.3
Madison Booker (TX)	19.2	.518	7.3
Sarah Strong (UConn)	18.4	.600	8.1
Khamil Pierre (NC State)	15.2	.518	11.9

Scoring and Efficiency

Sure, Joyce Edwards is lighting things up with an impressive 20.7 points per game, but let’s not overlook Khamil Pierre’s contribution who is currently the number 3 rebounder in Div. 1 and the top rebounder in power 4 conferences. Averaging 15.2 points may not seem as flashy, but Khamil has been doing a fantastic job of facilitating plays for her teammates. Plus, her shooting percentage of 51.8% is right there with Madison Booker..

But here’s the catch—ESPN seems to focus mainly on high scorers, which might just be why they overlooked Pierre. This narrative can make it seem like if you’re not scoring 20 points a game, you’re not making an impact, which just isn’t the case.

The Rebounding Advantage

Where Khamil really shines is in rebounding. With a jaw-dropping average of 11.9 rebounds per game, she’s absolutely dominating the boards. Just compare that to Edwards (6.3), Booker (7.3), and Strong (8.1)—she’s got them beat by a significant margin! This is crucial for NC State, as grabbing rebounds leads to more possessions and opportunities to score.

But ESPN’s tendency to overlook this aspect is frustrating. Rebounding is a vital part of the game, and just because it doesn’t fill the highlight reels like a flashy 360 layup doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.

Addressing the Bias

Let’s face it. ESPN is in bed with the SEC in all sports: there’s a bias in the ESPN media that often favors the SEC and their star players, especially those from the SEC. A few example from ESPN headlines today: “Gamecocks up to No. 2 in AP women’s poll shuffle” (Why highlight South Carolina? There are 25 teams in the poll). “LSU women’s hoops hands No. 2 Texas first loss” (Texas and LSU are highlighted daily). “Power Rankings: How the SEC is shaping the national title race”. “Women’s Bracketology: First Loss Drops Texas Off The Top Line? Not so Fast”.

They also have UConn articles ready to roll daily: “Who can stop a UConn repeat?” It’s clear that ESPN prioritizes stories that amplify SEC narratives and write about UConn because they have to. This focus can make it seem like only teams from certain conferences are worthy of attention and acclaim. This partiality can overshadow fantastic players, such as Khamil Pierre, who are quietly racking up impressive stats while their programs don’t have the same media buzz as the SEC giants.

Khamil Pierre has all the tools to be considered among the best, yet her contributions are often lost in the narrative and bias because NC State doesn’t have the same media buzz as some other schools. That’s not just unfair; it’s a disservice to the game. ESPN should be ashamed, but really it gets down to it being all about the money.

Looking Ahead

As the rest of the season unfolds, it’s crucial for fans and analysts to bring attention to players like Khamil Pierre who deserve recognition. NC State has a proud history, and Pierre is a significant part of that legacy.

While ESPN’s midseason All-American picks highlight plenty of deserving talent, overlooking Pierre reinforces a conversation about fairness and representation in women’s sports. True talent should come first, regardless of school popularity or media hype.

So here’s to Khamil Pierre and the impact she brings to the game. As Wolfpack fans, we know her worth, and it’s high time the rest of the basketball world takes notice, too.

Photo Courtesy of @PackWomensBball