Lanier averaged nearly 20 points for North Florida last season.
From the moment Chaz Lanier hit the transfer portal — and perhaps maybe even a little before that — it was easy to connect the dots back to Tennessee. The Nashville native was coming off of by far his best season in college, going from a role player to a legitimate star at North Florida.
The improvement was so dramatic that the NBA took notice. Lanier went through the NBA Draft process as he entered the transfer portal, which allowed him to get feedback from organizations. Ultimately he returned to college, and now he’ll see a big uptick in competition level in SEC play.
Dalton Knecht did the same thing last year and turned himself into a first round draft pick. Both Tennessee and Lanier are hoping to replicate those results this season.
“Definitely a different time in my life, I’ve never been through something like it, but just blessed to be in the position that I’m in,” Lanier told reporters on Tuesday. “It was definitely a hectic time going through recruiting and then going through the draft process and then ending up choosing Tennessee, but just a blessing overall.”
Lanier attended Ensworth High School in the mid-state, where he eventually ended up becoming a finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award. Coming back home to the Volunteer State was a big reason why he ended up in Knoxville.
“A big factor was definitely location, coming back home playing for my home state,” Lanier said. “It just means a little bit more to me. And then playing for a Hall of Fame coach in Rick Barnes. And just the family culture here. I knew I’d be joining a family and something that’s bigger than me.”
After averaging just four points as a sophomore and junior, Lanier exploded to score 19.7 points per game as a senior. He shot 44 percent from three-point range, averaging 7.5 attempts per contest. The 6-4 guard shot 51 percent overall from the floor.
Now Lanier will take those ridiculously efficient scoring numbers from the Atlantic Sun to the SEC. With practices ramping up, he’s already getting a taste of the difference.
“It’s definitely a different game — more physicality — but I feel like my game will definitely transition pretty well. We’ve been working every day in practice and going at it. I’m surrounded by great players who get me better every day and push me to my limits, so I feel like I’m in the right place.
“I’d say the most eye-opening thing is definitely the tempo of the game. It’s more sped up. And that’s just the way we play here at Tennessee, but I’m adjusting pretty well.”
Dalton Knecht noted that going up against Jahmai Mashack, who is one of the premier defenders in all of college basketball, really made him better. Now Lanier will get to do the same thing this season.
Lanier joins small forwards Igor Milicic, Darlinstone Dubar and center Felix Okpara in Tennessee’s transfer portal class this year. It’s a completely reloaded roster for Rick Barnes, but it appears to be yet another one that can compete for an SEC title.