Chaz Lanier is a 6′4″ guard with a 6′9″ wingspan and NBA-grade shooting ability—a prototypical floor spacer whose career arc vaulted from mid-major star to SEC sharpshooter. After leading North Florida in scoring and NCAA-leading 44% 3‑point shooting (106-for-241 in 2023‑24), Lanier transferred to Tennessee and averaged 18.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, shooting 43.1% FG, 39.5% 3PT, and 75.8% FT over 38 games, earning high-leverage recognition as the SEC’s premier shooter. He broke Tennessee’s single-season three-pointer record with 123 makes.
Lanier’s offensive strengths define his draft profile: elite catch-and-shoot mechanics (95th percentile unguarded; 1.259 PPP on spot-ups), deep range, and form consistency even off the dribble. He scored efficiently across play types: 1.231 PPP in isolation (94th percentile), 1.111 in transition (82nd), 1.097 in half-court (84th). His compact 206‑lb frame plays through traffic on the perimeter and showed strong off-ball movement—curls, cuts, relocations—that make him an attractive modern bench weapon.
Defensively and physically, Lanier is flawed. Despite good size, his athleticism doesn’t consistently translate: free-throw attempts were low due to his unwillingness to get to the rim, where he only converted 50% of his shots at the rim. He is also not much of a playmaker for his size at 1.1 assists per game, even though he shown he can move the ball decently. His defensive playmaking wasn’t always there, either, posting a low steal rate last season at 1.3%. He is a trigger-happy offensive player who likes to launch. Film showed him as an average defender in man and off-ball sets—not a stopper. His turnover rate (1.1 per game) is modest. At age 23, durability and growth ceiling also become factors.
Still, Lanier’s draft trajectory ascended: once mocked in the mid‑40s, late‑30s, and climbing—some teams now have him in first-round consideration at the 25–40 range. Lanier’s floor is solid — a 15-25 minute catch-and-shoot specialist who provides roster spacing and off-ball gravity. His ceiling stretches to a reliable rotation guard with added ball-handling or defensive playmaking. He gains good position as a defender due to his frame and should be solid enough there, even with the lack of athleticism. That will need to change regarding his ability to finish at the rim; he needs even a finesse finish to not be one-dimensional as a scorer. If he refines shot selection, he could secure rotational minutes in his first or second season. If not, he'll still hold value as a 3-point specialist.
Player Comparison: Shades of Gary Trent Jr. and Malik Beasley
