Rick Barnes said Tennessee basketball fixed Chaz Lanier as a top target as soon as he entered the transfer portal.
The Vols coach said the 6-foot-5, 199-pound Lanier shared goals with the Vols.
“Chaz wants to help us win another SEC championship as well as strive for a national title,” Barnes said Saturday in a school release, one day after Lanier committed to the Vols. “It’s clear that his goals and mindset mesh well with the rest of the guys in our program and it’s a great combination. Chaz’s excitement at the opportunity to return to a state he loves was evident to us and we know Vol Nation will embrace him from day one.”
The Nashville native announced Friday that he is transferring to UT after the senior guard averaged 19.7 points and shot 44.4 percent on 3-pointers with the Ospreys. He chose the Vols over Kentucky and BYU after visiting all three schools in a row in late May. Lanier played high school basketball in Ensworth.
What Rick Barnes Said About Chaz Lanier Signing With Tennessee Basketball
Lanier was one of the most coveted recruits in the transfer portal as soon as he entered in late April. Lanier also went through the NBA Draft process and participated in the NBA G League Elite Camp in mid-May.
“Our fan base will love his character, humility and work ethic, as well as his strong basketball IQ,” Barnes said. “He has already proven himself to be one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball and we feel his ability to put the ball in the basket from all directions will translate well to the SEC.”
Lanier became one of the nation’s leading scorers and most efficient offensive player in his final season at North Florida. He didn’t average more than 4.7 points in a season before making the jump to first-team All-ASUN in his fourth season. He made 106 3-pointers last season, a jump from 27 the season before.
Who added Tennessee basketball to the transfer portal?
Lanier is the fourth player the Vols have added through the transfer portal.
Tennessee has already signed guard Darlinstone Dubar from Hofstra and forwards Igor Milicic Jr. from Charlotte and Felix Okpara from Ohio State.
WHAT TO KNOW: Chaz Lanier transfer: Stats, 247th in Tennessee basketball vs. North Florida player
The 6-foot-1 Dubar averaged 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 39.9% on 3-pointers. The 6-10 Milicic averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in his junior season at Charlotte. He shot 37.6% on 3-pointers. Dubar and Milicic combined to make 129 3-point shots last season.
The 6-11 Okpara is a great shot blocker and physical post player. He averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 70 games over two seasons at Ohio State. He averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while blocking 82 shots as a sophomore starter.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @By Mike Wilson. If you like Mike’s coverage, consider a digital signature which will allow you access to all of this.
This article originally appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel: What Rick Barnes Said About Chaz Lanier Joining Tennessee Basketball
