Former Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier will get his first crack at NBA preseason action on Monday night when the Detroit Pistons take on the Memphis Grizzlies at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Lanier, the 37th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played in five summer league games for the Pistons earlier in the year. He averaged 10.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while on the court.
The rookie from Rocky Top has been hard at work throughout the summer and Pistons training camp as he aims to make an impact with his new NBA team.
“Really just come in, listen to what everybody’s saying, and soak everything up,” Lanier said on Saturday about what training camp has been like. “You know, being a first-year player, it’s a lot to learn. So just having my ears open, just learning a lot, and going as hard as I can.”
Detroit brought in Lanier through the draft to add some perimeter shooting to its roster. During his lone season at Tennessee, Lanier averaged 18 points per game. He shot 39.5% from three-point range and 43.1% from the floor overall. Lanier’s shooting helped Tennessee reach the Elite Eight as he became the Vols’ all-time single-season three-point record holder with 123 made threes.
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Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is excited about what Lanier can bring to the table. He’s also been impressed with the rookie’s ability to soak in information and believes that Lanier has a bright future ahead of him.
“He’s taken it all in,” Bickerstaff said during an interview on Saturday. “I think he’s learned on the fly quickly. You watch his natural instincts offensively, and he’s unbelievable at reading the game. Like, he knows spacing on the floor, he knows when to cut. Like I’ve told our staff, there’s going to come a point in time in his career where he has 30 points and he’s only dribbled the ball four times. He’s got that type of off-ball feel and awareness and ability to shoot the ball.”
Lanier will return to his home state and the state where he finished his collegiate career on Monday night during his first crack at NBA preseason action. The Memphis Grizzlies will host Lanier’s Detroit Pistons at 8:00 p.m. ET.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s going to be fun,” Lanier said about returning to the Volunteer State to open up his NBA career. “Like you said, I’m from Nashville, Tennessee. So being able to go back home to Tennessee and play, that’s going to be a huge blessing. I’m just super excited. Training camp’s over. We had a great camp… I’m looking forward to the first game.”
Chaz Lanier was joined by former teammate Jahmai Mashack as the two Vols were recognized during a timeout in Tennessee’s home football game against UAB in September.
