After committing to the Vols over Kentucky, Chaz Lanier, a transfer from North Florida, was revealed as a Tennessee basketball signee on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday afternoon, Tennessee basketball announced the signing of guard Chaz Lanier, a transfer from North Florida. On Friday, Lanier chose the Vols over Kentucky and BYU.
Lanier paid formal visits to each of his three contenders. Prior to traveling to Kentucky on Monday and Tennessee on Tuesday, he spent last Sunday at BYU. Lanier is rated as the No. 3 overall shooting guard and the No. 11 overall transfer in this year’s cycle by 247Sports.
The North Florida standout joins Ohio State center Felix Okpara, Charlotte forward Igor Milicic Jr., Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar, and the Vols as their fourth addition via the transfer site.
“Chaz and his family are a welcome addition to Rocky Top,” stated Rick Barnes in a news statement. “We knew Chaz was someone we would love to bring home to Volunteer State as soon as he logged onto the transfer portal. His tremendous basketball IQ, work ethic, humility, and character will be much appreciated by our fan base. He has already established himself as one of the most productive scorers in college basketball, and we believe the SEC will benefit greatly from his ability to put the ball in the hoop from anywhere on the floor.
“Chaz wants to help us compete for a national championship and win another SEC championship. His objectives and way of thinking obviously mesh well with the other individuals in our program, making him a great fit. We could see that Chaz was thrilled at the chance to go back to the state he adores, and we know Vol Nation would welcome him right away.”
Prior to making his selection, Lanier was going through the draft process after declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft on March 16. He entered the transfer portal on April 24 and declared while still eligible for his final year.
This past season, Lanier had a breakout season, leading the league in points per game throughout conference play (24.5 points), and receiving First Team All-ASUN honors. He became just the second player in program history at North Florida to score more than 600 points with 629 points throughout the season.
The 6-foot-4 guard scored 30 points in at least four games and at least 20 points fifteen times, including eleven in ASUN contests. Against North Alabama, Lanier scored 35 points, a career-high. This season, he was one of just two players to win ASUN Player of the Week three times.
Lanier placed sixth in the nation in terms of three-pointers made (106), ninth in terms of three-point percentage (44%) and among the top 20 in terms of points and made field goals (214). In conference games, he led the ASUN in three-point field goals made (56), free-throw percentage (90.5%), and minutes played (36.7 mpg).
The product of the mid-state played three years of varsity basketball at Nashville’s Ensworth High School, where he averaged 23 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. In his final season with the Tigers, he was a finalist for the Mr. Basketball title in Tennessee.
On the last day of March, Tennessee’s season ended with a 72-66 loss to the top-seeded Purdue in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. This past season, UT earned its eleventh SEC Championship and made it to the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history.
This summer, four players from the Vols chose to transfer: redshirt freshman guards Freddie Dilione V (Penn State) and DJ Jefferson (Longwood), sophomore forward Tobe Awaka (Arizona), and junior forward Jonas Aidoo (Arkansas).
Next season, during Rick Barnes’ tenth season at Rocky Top, Tennessee will have a new appearance. After earning SEC Player of the Year in his one and only season in Knoxville, breakout player Dalton Knecht is headed to the NBA, while guards Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James have reached the end of their eligibility after stellar five-year careers.
Forwards Cade Phillips and J.P. Estrella, along with guards Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Jordan Gainey, and Cameron Carr, are anticipated to return the following season.
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