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Where ESPN projects Chaz Lanier in the NBA Draft

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•04/09/25•

GrantRamey

Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Basketball | Andrew Ferguson, Tennessee Athletics
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Basketball | Andrew Ferguson, Tennessee Athletics

Chaz Lanier is currently projected to be a second-round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, according to the latest projections from ESPN. Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo this week had Tennessee’s star shooting guard going at No. 41 overall to the Golden State Warriors. 

ESPN on March 25 ranked Lanier No. 38 on its list of the top 100 NBA Draft prospects.

Lanier, a Nashville native who spent one season at Tennessee after transferring from North Florida, averaged his 18.0 points per game this season while shooting 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line. 

He made 123 3-pointers in 38 games, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton.

Chaz Lanier won Jerry West Award, was third-team All-American

Lanier won the Jerry West Award on Saturday, given annually to college basketball’s best shooting guard, and was also 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.

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.

He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last spring while going through the NBA Draft process, before ultimately picking Tennessee over Kentucky and BYU.

Tennessee Basketball’s NBA Draft History under Rick Barnes

Head coach Rick Barnes has produced four first-round picks and four second-round picks in his 10 seasons as Tennessee’s head coach. The Vols have had 13 first-round picks in program history and 15 second-round picks.

A year ago Dalton Knecht was picked at No. 17 overall in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers. Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer were both first-round picks in 2021, with Johnson going to the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 21 and Springer to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 28. Grant Williams was elected at No. 22 overall in 2019 by the Boston Celtics. 

Julian Phillips was a second-round pick in 2023, going at No. 35 overall to the Chicago Bulls, and Kennedy Chandler was a second-round pick in 2022, at No. 38 to the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Admiral Schofield was the No. 42 overall pick in 2019, selected in the second round by the Washington Wizards, and Jordan Bone was the No. 57 overall pick in that same draft, landing with the Detroit Pistons. 

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