LSU transfer guard Xavier Pinson commits to New Mexico State
LAS CRUCES — Three-star junior LSU transfer guard Xavier Pinson has committed to New Mexico State, the former Tiger announced on his Instagram Wednesday afternoon.
"[T]rust in God’s plan for YOU, trust your work & don’t chase every one else’s version of who or what you should do," Pinson said on Instagram, tagging NMSU men's basketball account and Aggie head coach Greg Heiar. "LETS TAKE THIS TO HEIAR GROUND."
More: New Mexico State men's basketball recruiting tracker
Pinson is the 10th member of Heiar's first recruiting class in Las Cruces and appears to be the 14th member of the 2022-23 team. The 6-foot-2-inch guard joins fellow three-star SEC transfer guard DaJuan Gordon, along with myriad junior college transfers and four holdovers from NMSU's 2021-22 team.
More: Brian Merritt joins Aggie basketball staff as assistant coach
More: Former Aggie, Mayfield coach Billy Keys to return as men's basketball video coordinator
Pinson transferred to LSU last season after three years at Missouri. He averaged averaged 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 2021-22, where he started 27 of 28 contests. He averaged double-digit points in the 2019-20 season and the 2020-21 seasons at Missouri and started all 26 games in 2020-21.
Pinson started and played 32 minutes in LSU's NCAA Tournament Round of 64 game against Iowa State and finished with two points, seven assists and two rebounds.
More: Deuce Benjamin knows his father's NMSU basketball legacy. Now he wants to create his own
His commitment comes less than a week after point guard Jordan Ivy-Curry decommitted from NMSU to transfer to Pacific, although Ivy-Curry never officially signed with the Aggies.
Pinson likely figures to be a starting member of NMSU's backcourt next season alongside Gordon and likely Deshawndre Washington, a top-10 junior college transfer.
He appears to be one of the final members of Heiar's first recruiting class, although Heiar told the Sun-News he was not sure when this recruiting class may be finalized and that he was "taking my time."
Stephen Wagner is a sports reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can found on Twitter at @stephenwag22 and reached at SWagner@lcsun-news.com.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: LSU transfer guard Xavier Pinson commits to New Mexico State basketball
