Tag: Chaz Lanier

Chaz Lanier returns to Tennessee for fifth college basketball season

2024-25 Tennessee Vols basketball season preview: Chaz Lanier

No. 12 Tennessee will open its 2024-25 regular season Nov. 4 against Gardner-Webb.

The Vols won the 2023-24 SEC regular-season championship and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history last season.

During the preseason, Vols Wire previews student-athletes on Tennessee’s 2024-25 men’s basketball roster. This installment will feature Chaz Lanier.

Lanier, a guard and fifth-year player for the Vols, makes his return to the Volunteer State after playing four years at North Florida. He played high school basketball at the Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee.

During his senior season at North Florida last year, Lanier appeared in 32 games, including 31 starts. He was a First-Team All-Atlantic Sun standout and a 2023-24 NABC First-Team All-District player.

As a junior for North Florida, Lanier appeared in all 31 of his team’s games, making nine starts. He started the first eight games of the season and averaged 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 19.1 minutes per game.

During his sophomore season with the Ospreys, he averaged 4.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

As a freshman at North Florida, Lanier appeared in 10 games, making one start. He totaled 17 points, seven rebounds, playing 91 minutes. Lanier had at least one assist in five games and committed three turnovers in his first season of college basketball.

Chaz Lanier makes top SEC transfer portal commit list

Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier makes top SEC transfer portal commit list.

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier is a top 2024 SEC transfer portal commit, according to On3 Industry Rankings.

Lanier is ranked as the No. 8 overall transfer portal player and No. 3 shooting guard.

Lanier entered the NCAA transfer portal on April 24. He committed to Tennessee on May 24.

The 6-foot-4, 199-pound shooting guard played at North Florida from 2020-24. He appeared in 104 contests, including 49 starts for the Ospreys, while averaging 8.9 points, 1.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Former Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo also made On3s top SEC transfer portal rankings. Aidoo committed to Arkansas on April 29.

On3 Industry Rankings are a composite from the three main recruiting sites (On3, 247Sports and Rivals).

Chaz Lanier picks Tennessee Volunteers over Kentucky basketball

Former Kentucky basketball target Chaz Lanier commits to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Coach Mark Pope has a couple of open roster spots for the 2024-25 season remaining, and is hoping to add a big-time perimeter scorer. The Wildcats staff was hoping guard Chaz Lanier would be that guy, but on Saturday, he announced he would be committing to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Lanier is from Tennessee, so it’s no surprise that he wound up there, but Pope and his staff were hoping to lure him just a little further north. The former North Florida guard was also being recruited by BYU.

Related: Kentucky basketball recruiting targets for 2025

Last season, Lanier averaged 19.7 points per game and shot 44% from three-point range. Pope’s offense would have been a nice fit for those kinds of numbers.

Now, Kentucky will move on to other options. Jaxson Robinson is one possibility if he returns to college. He has the added bonus of being experienced in Pope’s offense. Former Miami guard Wooga Poplar is in a similar situation. He’s a terrific shooter as well. Outside of those two, there are still some quality players in the portal.

Kentucky fans, and likely coaches, may be disappointed to miss out on Lanier, but they’ll keep working hard. All eyes will be on Pope to see what’s next.

Chaz Lanier commits to Tennessee

Chaz Lanier commits to Tennessee basketball.

Chaz Lanier announced his commitment to Tennessee basketball on Friday.

“Home is where the heart is,” Lanier announced.

The 6-foot-4, 199-pound shooting guard played at North Florida from 2020-24. He averaged 8.9 points, 1.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. Lanier appeared in 104 games, including 49 starts, at North Florida.

Lanier went to North Florida from The Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Chaz Lanier’s accomplishments at North Florida:

  • ASUN First Team All-Conference (2023-24)
  • NABC First Team All-District (2023-24)
  • CSC Academic All-District Team (2023-24)
  • ASUN All-Academic Team (2023-24)
  • ASUN Player of the Week, 3x (Feb. 19, 2024)
  • ASUN Honor Roll (2020-21, 2022-23)

PHOTOS: A look at Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes through the years

Corey Perrine/USA TODAY Network

Transfer Chaz Lanier is set to visit Kentucky basketball on Monday

Transfer Chaz Lanier will be visiting Kentucky basketball and Mark Pope on Monday.

New coach Mark Pope has completely rebuilt the Kentucky basketball roster, and has done a great job of getting talented transfers who fit his system. However, he is still in the hunt for a perimeter scorer who can take over games and score 15 to 20 points a night. Chaz Lanier could be that player.

Pope has been interested in Lanier for quite some time, and has been heavily recruiting him to join the Wildcats. The former North Florida guard declared for the NBA draft and is going through that process, so his future is still unknown.

Related: Kentucky basketball 2025 recruiting targets

Last season, Lanier had a breakout year. He averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from three-point range.

Kentucky isn’t the only team interested in signing Lanier, and he’ll take a couple of different visits this week. He’s also visiting BYU this weekend and will visit the Tennessee Volunteers as well.

The deadline to pull out of the NBA draft is approaching, and Lanier will likely make a decision in the next few weeks. Big Blue Nation is hoping to see him in Lexington next season.

All-American Caleb Love headlines list of invitees for G League Elite Camp

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the G League Elite Camp on May 11-12 in Chicago, Illinois.

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the 2024 NBA G League Elite Camp May 11-12 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Love was voted a third-team All-American by the Associated Press and the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 41.3% shooting from the field with the Wildcats. He finished fourth in the conference in scoring.

The 6-foot-4 guard transferred to Arizona in May 2023 after spending three years at North Carolina. He finished with 1,476 career points in 101 games with the Tar Heels and made 200 3-pointers, which ranks eighth in program history.

The full list of players invited to the G League Elite Camp:

Player Previous
Mark Armstrong Villanova
Taran Armstrong Cairns Taipans (NBL)
Adama Bal Santa Clara
Keion Brooks Jr. Washington
Terrell Burden Kennesaw State
Branden Carlson Utah
Walter Clayton Jr. Florida
Isaiah Crawford Louisiana Tech
Yongxi Cui Guangzhou (China)
Clarence Daniels New Hampshire
Thierry Darlan G League Ignite
Garwey Dual Providence
Sean East II Missouri
Jesse Edwards West Virginia
Boogie Ellis USC
Tristan Enaruna Cleveland State
Aaron Estrada Alabama
Allen Flanigan Mississippi
Enrique Freeman Akron
Blake Hinson Pitt
Jaelen House New Mexico
Isaac Jones Washington State
Arthur Kaluma Kansas State
Chaz Lanier North Florida
Jaedon LeDee San Diego State
Xaivian Lee Princeton
Jalen Lewis Overtime Elite
Malique Lewis Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
Caleb Love Arizona
Baba Miller Florida State
Emanuel Miller TCU
Judah Mintz Syracuse
Matthew Murrell Mississippi
Baye Ndongo Georgia Tech
Jameer Nelson Jr. TCU
Ugonna Onyenso Kentucky
Wooga Poplar Miami (Fla.)
Zyon Pullin Florida
Mantas Rubstavicius NZ Breakers (NBL)
Babacar Sane G League Ignite
Isaiah Stevens Colorado State
Jarin Stevenson Alabama
Nae’Qwan Tomlin Memphis
Bryson Warren Sioux Falls Skyforce (G League)
Anton Watson Gonzaga

The 45 prospects invited to the G League Elite Camp were voted on by team executives. The list of players typically indicates those with the highest odds of being selected or signed as undrafted free agents with teams after the draft on June 27.

The event will feature 5-on-5 games, strength and agility testing, shooting drills, measurements and other related on-court exercises. Prospects will have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in a competitive environment against their peers.

The top players from the G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the draft combine on May 12-19. The event has helped several players advance to the combine and eventually make it to the NBA, including Jose Alvarado, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Terance Mann.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262612]

Transfer Chaz Lanier is likely down to Kentucky basketball and Tennessee Vols

It appears that guard Chaz Lanier will choose either Tennessee or Kentucky basketball.

Former North Florida guard Chaz Lanier is a player that Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope has been working hard to lure to Lexington. It seems as if that work is paying off, as Lanier is reportedly down to two schools: the Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Last season, Lanier developed into a scoring machine, averaging 19.7 points per game. He also had 4.8 rebounds and nearly two assists per contest and made 44% of his three-pointers.

Lanier is from the state of Tennessee, which may give the Vols an advantage, but the fit at Kentucky might be better. Pope is certainly looking for a perimeter scorer, and Lanier fits that bill.

The NBA draft does still remain a possibility for Lanier, who entered his name for it, but he didn’t receive a Combine invite, which might make a return to college a better move for him.

Lanier is ranked as one the top ten transfer players in the country by 247sports. He would be a great addition to any team, and Big Blue Nation hopes that team resides in Lexington.

North Florida’s Chaz Lanier being targeted by Mark Pope and Kentucky basketball

Kentucky basketball is interested in North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier.

The window to enter the transfer window may be closed, but there are still many players already in the portal looking for a team next season. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, one of them, Chaz Lanier, is on the radar of Kentucky basketball.

Chaz Lanier was lightly recruited for the 2020 class, and wound up at North Florida. He only started a handful of games in his first three years, but exploded last season.

He started 31 games for North Florida in the 2023-24 season, and averaged 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He also made 44% of his three-point attempts.

Lanier may not have been a highly sought-after recruit out of high school, but he’s popular in the transfer portal. A number of schools have contacted him, including the Tennessee Volunteers, who are the current favorite.

Kentucky still seems to need a player who can be the primary scorer on a nightly basis, especially at the guard position. Lanier would fill that spot if coach Mark Pope can manage to bring him in. Big Blue Nation will wait and see how it plays out.