Chaz Lanier on Friday was one of 75 players to receive an invite to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Lanier was the only Tennessee player who received an invite.
The NBA Draft Combine will held May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago. The NBA Draft is set for June 25 at Barclays Arena in New York.
There were 60 college players invited, 14 International players invited and one player, Dink Pate, from the G League.
Lanier was one of 18 SEC players to receive an invite, alongside Koby Brea (Kentucky), Johni Broome (Auburn), Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma), Boogie Fland (Arkansas), Tre Johnson (Texas), Karter Knox (Arkansas), Alijah Martin (Florida), Jalon Moore (Oklahoma), Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina), Grant Nelson (Alabama), Asa Newell (Georgia), Otega Oweha (Kentucky), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), Labaron Philon (Alabama), Mark Sears (Alabama) and Adou Theiro (Arkansas).
Lanier starred for the Vols this season while averaging 18.0 points per game and setting Tennessee’s new single-season 3-point record.
Lanier broke Tennessee’s single-season 3-point record with 123 threes in 38 games, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton. He shot 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line.
Chaz Lanier was an All-American, won Jerry West Award in only season at Tennessee
Lanier, a Nashville native, was named third-team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and The Sporting News. He was also named an All-American by the Wooden Award, was First Team All-SEC and won the SEC’s Newcomer of the Year award.
In April he won the Jerry West Award, given annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to college basketball’s best shooting guard.
Lanier had a breakout senior year at North Florida in 2023-24, averaging 19.7 points per game and making 108 threes in 32 games, shooting a career-high 44.0% from the 3-point line.
Lanier was recently ranked No. 42 in ESPN’s top 100 prospects for the NBA Draft.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony in his NBA mock draft last month had Lanier as the No. 41 overall pick to the Golden State Warriors.
Tennessee Basketball’s NBA Draft history during the Rick Barnes era
Eight Tennessee players have been drafted during the Rick Barnes era, including four first-round picks. The Vols have had 13 first-round picks in program history and 15 second-round picks.
Dalton Knecht was the No. 17 overall pick in last summer’s NBA Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The other three-first round picks were Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer in 2021 and Grant Williams in 2019.
Johnson went at No. 21 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers and Springer was picked at No. 28 by the Philadelphia 76ers. Williams was selected by the Boston Celtics at No. 22 overall.
Three Tennessee players were picked in the 2019 NBA Draft. Williams going in the first round was followed by Admiral Schofield (No. 42 overall, Washington Wizards) and Jordan Bone(No. 57, Detroit Pistons) in the second round.
Kennedy Chandler and Julian Phillips were also second-round picks. Chandler went at No. 38 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022 and Phillips was the No. 35 overall pick to the Chicago Bulls in 2023.
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