Tennessee basketball battles SEC rival for best guard in transfer portal.
Rick Barnes stated earlier this week that Tennessee basketball is in no haste to fill the three remaining scholarships on its roster. Chaz Lanier has expressed the same feeling, saying he isn’t in a rush to pick where he will play basketball next year.
According to 247Sports, Lanier is the top-ranked combo guard and eighth-best overall player in this year’s portal class. On3 Sports rates Lanier as the No. 2 shooting guard and No. 7 overall.
He had a breakout season as a junior this year, putting his name on several major boards for college basketball teams throughout the country and the NBA. He averaged 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, shooting 51% from the field and 44% from three.
He is also one of the most effective shooters in the country. ESPN NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony credited Lanier with a true shooting percentage of 67%, which ranks among the highest in the country.
Since Lanier first entered the transfer portal, the Vols have been his clubhouse leaders. Tennessee was very certain to land Lanier by the end of April. Barnes and the Vols appeared to be running away with the recruiting war, adding another high-powered, efficient player to their roster for the 2024-25 season.
That mood has shifted throughout the first half of May. Tennessee is still in the race for Lanier and might compete with an SEC opponent for his commitment, but they are no longer the clear front-runner.
Kentucky competes with the Vols for Lanier’s commitment. The Wildcats have emerged as a viable option. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports even stated that the Cats are ahead of the Vols in this aspect.
Lanier has also joined the NBA Draft, thus it is feasible that he may not return to college basketball after completing NBA tryouts. On3 Sports’ Jamie Shaw projected that Lanier would commit to Tennessee earlier this month, but there is still a lot of uncertainty for Lanier.
He still has a few weeks to decide between college basketball and the NBA. His emphasis is undoubtedly centered on the NBA, with combine exercises approaching, but he might soon shift his focus to Kentucky and Tennessee.
