Legacy Shocker: Son of PJ Couisnard completes remarkable comeback with commitment to WSU
Not much can make P.J. Couisnard emotional.
But when it comes to the inspirational journey of his son, Pierre, the former Wichita State men’s basketball star can’t help himself.
After enduring a 5-year rehabilitation process from a patellar fracture so serious that he had to learn how to walk again, Pierre Couisnard’s remarkable comeback added a picture-perfect chapter when the son of a Shocker legend officially committed to Wichita State this past weekend.
It’s a minor miracle that Pierre, a high school senior who plays for his dad at Legacy Sport Sciences in Houston, has been able to return to playing basketball — something doctors couldn’t promise him.
It’s even more unbelievable that he will follow in his father’s footsteps and don a Shocker uniform.
“I’m such a proud father, man. I don’t think I could be more proud of my son,” P.J. Couisnard said. “And I don’t tell him that as much as I should because I’ve got to be the coach sometimes. But that kid makes me so proud all of the time. I love him.”
It was a surreal moment for the family when Pierre pledged to WSU during his senior day ceremony last weekend. He was born before P.J.’s final season at WSU in 2007 and there are plenty of memories and pictures of Pierre as a toddler inside Koch Arena.
To think that the same little boy, who has gone through so much while growing up, will return to where his journey first began makes his mother, Jennifer Lockett, tear up.
“My son is the epitome of resilience, of determination,” Lockett said. “I watched the struggle. I was there every step of the way. And that kid there, he’s my motivation.”
The injury occurred five years ago when an 11-year-old Pierre, a blossoming point guard in the Houston area, crashed into a wall behind the basket during a basketball tournament and fractured his kneecap and tibia.
Doctors used screws and wires to repair the injury in the first surgery. Pierre couldn’t apply any pressure on his left leg for eight months following the procedure. When he was cleared, he had to learn how to walk with the support from a bulky frame covering his knee. And when the frame finally came off, he had to learn how to walk without the support of the frame.
It was an arduous process.
“You think about, ‘How will I come back?’” Pierre said. “Honestly, it was very tough at times. There were definitely some low moments, but I had the right support and the right people around me and they kept me up throughout the whole situation.”
Devastating news followed not long after Pierre began walking again. Another doctor visit revealed that the growth of his injured kneecap was not aligning with the growth in the rest of his leg, which was causing his knee to hyper-extend when he walked.
It was determined that another surgery, this one much more serious, would be required. To fix the issue, doctors had to intentionally fracture Pierre’s kneecap again to achieve the proper alignment. He had to wear a halo-type structure around the leg, as metal pins were inserted into the broken bone and attached to the stabilizing frame.
Following the second surgery, Pierre’s mother had to rotate the halo three times a day and clean 15 holes in the leg during the recovery process. Her heart sank seeing Pierre in the hospital bed following the surgery when her son first began to wonder if his knee would ever be healthy again.
“He had tears in his eyes and said, ‘I’m never going to be able to play again, mama. What am I doing?’” Lockett said. “That was the hardest time of my life because I always told my son that he can do whatever he wants to do. So I just had to try to reassure him that we’re not giving up and that you’re going to push forward.”
It was the first and last time Pierre felt sorry for himself.
Doctors couldn’t guarantee he would ever play basketball again, but said he would have a chance if he followed the rehabilitation plan. So he did everything his doctors told him to and relentlessly attacked his physical therapy sessions. All he wanted was a chance.
“As soon as the doctors told me what I had to do,” Pierre said, “My mind automatically switched to the focus of, ‘OK, What am I going to have to do to get back on the court? What can I do starting today to help me get back to basketball faster?’”
That kind of mindset is typical in the Couisnard family.
“My son would not take ‘no’ for an answer,” P.J. said. “He has the strongest attitude, the strongest heart that I ever seen. He gets that from his family. He’s surrounded by people who don’t quit. People who you tell them they can’t do something and they’re going to go out and do it. That’s all he knows.”
P.J. never once doubted the will power of his son, but he did question why such a horrific injury happened to such a good kid. There were times when such an uncertain future for his son scared the father, but P.J. couldn’t let Pierre see any form of weakness.
“I never wanted him to think I didn’t believe in him,” P.J. said. “Because I knew if he ever saw any ounce of any doubt in me, it was going to affect him. So I always stayed positive and kept telling him that this is just part of your journey. And you have to give him so much credit. He stayed calm, cool and collected. He’s just the best, man.”
After a 5-year layoff that somehow felt longer, Pierre was finally cleared by doctors to play basketball again late last season. In a testament to his work ethic, the 6-foot-3 guard came back as explosive as he was before the injury and dunked in his first game back.
There are still some days when his left knee aches, but Pierre has reached the point now where he plays basketball without fear. He has blossomed into a key player at Legacy, which has ascended to become one of the top prep programs in the country under his father’s leadership.
“I definitely have a different outlook now because I don’t take anything for granted, even the breathe you have right now,” Pierre said. “There are some days when I’m a little down or I’m hurting a little and I just remind myself that I have to give my best in everything because you never know when it could be gone.”
That kind of perspective on life is rare for a high school senior. And it’s only gained by working hard to go through something hard.
That’s the kind of lesson that a parent typically tries to teach their child. In this case, it is Pierre who has inspired his parents more than he knows.
“That kid has taught me to never give up on my dreams, no matter how hard life gets,” Lockett said. “Because when things fall apart, it doesn’t mean that it’s not for you. You just have to follow your dreams and keep working and keep moving forward. And that kid, he’s my motivation.”
Pierre joins Legacy teammate Tyrus Rathan-Mayes, who signed with WSU in the fall, and Barton Community College point guard Dre Kindell in WSU’s 2025 recruiting class. It’s unclear what role Pierre will have at the next level for Wichita, but with the scholarship count increasing to 15 next season, it’s possible former walk-on candidates will receive a scholarship under the new structure.
Regardless, in whatever role Pierre ends up playing, the legacy recruit is sure to be an instant fan favorite. Not just because he is the son of P.J. Couisnard, but because of his infectious personality and extraordinary comeback story.
“The city is going to love him,” P.J. said. “And I hope this sends the message that we’re fully invested in bringing Wichita State basketball back to where it was. We’re all in. We believe in Paul Mills and this staff and I believe in what they’re doing. Fans just need to give the coaches some time because it’s all going to come together.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 5:02 AM.
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