The NBA draft takes place this week, and University of Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier has emerged as one of the top shooters in this draft class, with many analysts expecting the 23-year-old marksman to have an immediate impact in the league.
Lanier’s rise to fame has been rapid and somewhat unexpected. In 2024, the 6’5″ prospect was finishing his fourth season with the University of North Florida in the ASUN Conference and wasn’t on the radar of too many NBA scouts. Lanier, however, did enough to impress the coaches at Tennessee in his final year with Ospreys, and a transfer to the Vols has turned out to be a life-altering move for this talented star and his family.
Chaz Lanier Is the Younger of Two Siblings
During a recent interview with The Rookie Wire, Lanier spoke about the importance of having his family close to him and why that was a significant factor in his decision to choose Tennessee over top college programs like Kentucky and BYU.
“My decision to go to the University of Tennessee, a lot of things made sense … My family would be able to make every game, which was big for me in my fifth year. My family was able to make a couple of games down at North Florida,” said Lanier.
Family is obviously important to Lanier, and they have been supportive of him throughout his journey.
Chaz has an older brother named Trey who also attended The Ensworth School in Nashville. They share a close relationship, with Trey sharing several posts on his Instagram account where he tags his younger brother.
Like his brother, Trey is passionate about sports, as can be seen on his Instagram posts, and also has an interest in music.
The Lanier boys come from a talented basketball family. Both their parents played basketball at the college level. Their father, Thomas, played at Lipscomb University in Tennessee and ranks 30th all-time in the school’s scoring charts.
Per the University of Tennessee’s official basketball page, Lanier’s father is a freight manager at FedEx and his mother, Stacey, works as a therapist.
Lanier’s College Numbers
Over his final two college seasons, Lanier made a name for himself as an elite shooter. During his last season with North Florida, he averaged 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. He stood out as one of the most efficient shooters in college, converting 51.0% of his shots from the field and shooting an impressive 44% from behind the arc.
why not
here’s every single one of Chaz Lanier’s record-setting 123 threes last season pic.twitter.com/k5i5L8OBun
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) April 10, 2025
A strong season in Florida drew the attention of scouts across the nation, and Lanier returned to his home state to represent the Volunteers in his fifth season. He excelled under coach Rick Barnes, leading the roster with 18.0 ppg. He shot 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line.
Lanier broke Tennessee’s single-season 3-point record with 123 threes and was named to the All-SEC second team.
Many experts project Lanier could break into the first round with his athleticism and shooting skills, making him an ideal fit for several NBA teams.
