Few players took advantage of an extra year of eligibility than Chaz Lanier did for his NBA Draft prospects. The fifth-year senior turned from a fringe role player to an All-American across his five seasons in college. That kind of improvement doesn’t happen often, so let’s look at what makes Lanier an exciting NBA prospect.
Chaz Lanier 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Lanier struggled to make a mark at North Florida in his first three seasons. He didn’t average more than 21 minutes per game, failing to get above 4.7 points. Because of the lack of playing time, he failed to make an impact in other statistics, including shooting. However, everything changed during his senior season at North Florida. With more playing time, he unleashed his lethal three-point shooting to average 19.7 points per game. Chaz Lanier shot 44% from three and earned serious NBA Draft buzz before entering the transfer portal.
Lanier signed with Tennessee and continued to prove he had the game to play at the next level. In the powerful SEC, he averaged 18 points per game, leading Tennessee to a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Lanier then earned All-American honors. In the NCAA Tournament, he helped lead the Volunteers to a rivalry win over Kentucky to set up an Elite Eight matchup against Houston. Lanier struggled, shooting 4-18 from the field in a blowout loss. The 23-year-old finished his career averaging 11.4 points in 142 games.
Strengths
Chaz Lanier may be the best three-point threat in this NBA draft class. Lanier made over 100 threes in each of the last two seasons and finished his career shooting over 40% beyond the arc. He is lethal when left open, but has also shown an ability to shoot over defenders. With that comes tough shotmaking in the mid-range. While he settles for tougher shots, he has proven himself on pull-up mid-range jumpers even in the SEC.
Lanier also proved to be a strong defender in the SEC under Rick Barnes’ system. He moves his feet well on the perimeter and makes smart decisions off the ball. Lanier only averaged 0.9 steals per game, but he played over 30 minutes per game for the team with the third-best defensive efficiency. He is a team player who tries to cover the perimeter well with his 6’4″ frame.
Weaknesses
Lanier struggles to make a meaningful impact on the offensive end if he isn’t scoring. He helps spread the floor but fails to make key passes. His draft stock falls because of this lack of playmaking. Lanier will need to prove himself at the next level as a passer-scorer to succeed at 6’4″. He will never average five or more assists per game, but a number around four is a good goal.
The fifth-year also struggles to create space at the rim and finish. While his lethal shooting opens a driving lane, he lacks that quick burst to blow by defenders and get easy buckets. This will only become harder at the next level. He has a quick release and limitless range, but without the ability to blow by defenders, he won’t have much space.
Lanier also loves to shoot the ball. He shot 2-12 from three in the game against Houston. Lanier has the potential to drop 40 points on any night, but when he is off, the team is in serious trouble. The best shooters always have the green light, but the stars of the NBA can make an impact on offense when they’re having a rough game. Lanier fails to make that same impact when he struggles to score.
NBA Comparison
Chaz Lanier is similar to Tre Johnson in his NBA Draft comparisons. They are similar players right now, but Johnson has shown flashes of the special player he can become. Lanier doesn’t have the same ceiling. He could become a player like Malik Beasley, but I see more of Donte DiVincenzo in overall impact. Lanier may have the athletic advantage, but the overall impact will be similar if Lanier is willing to improve his game and become a solid glue player.
2025 NBA Draft Prediction.
Chaz Lanier should be selected early in the second round of the NBA draft. He could fall towards the latter part of that round depending on how the draft shakes out.
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