Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier makes his Nets NBA draft pitch

New York Post

3 days ago

Shooting is the single most coveted skill in the NBA, and the Nets on Thursday worked out the top shooter in the upcoming draft.
At least, that's how the confident Chaz Lanier views himself.
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'I believe I'm the best shooter in the draft,' Lanier told The Post. 'But [also] a competitor, a winner, somebody who wants to win and is going to bring the best effort to the team.
'I feel like I have a proven track record, and I bring maturity and experience onto any team who drafts me. I've shown that I can adapt and continue to develop. And I feel like I'm a more mature and experienced guy who can contribute the right way, and immediately.'
Lanier being the draft's top marksman might not be hyperbole.
The 6-foot-4 Tennessee off-guard averaged 18 points on 39.5 percent shooting from 3-point territory this season.
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His middling defense and age (23) have him 34th on Tankathon's Big Board and 42nd on ESPN's, putting him in range of the Nets with the No. 36 pick.
The Nets also have picks No. 26 and 27, and there are indications some teams view him as a potential first-round target.
But Lanier spun that age as experience, as a strong suit.
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3 Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, working out at the NFL Combine earlier in the month, worked out with the Nets on May 29, 2025.
NBAE via Getty Images
'Some people look at age as a bad thing, and some look at it as a good thing, so I try and put it out there as a good thing,' Lanier said. 'I'm a more mature and experienced player who can bring shooting immediately. A lot of guys are going back to school nowadays with NIL, so the draft is leaning more towards a little bit older guys now … so there's a lot of positives to it.'
Lanier worked out with five other prospects Thursday at HSS Training Center, including Volunteers teammate Jahmai Mashack and Colorado State guard Nique Clifford, tabbed to go in the middle of the first round.
3 Chaz Lanier drives to the basket during the NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2025.
NBAE via Getty Images
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Lanier met several Nets players and personnel.
'I pretty much got to meet everybody, from the head coach Jordi Fernández to the assistant GM, the GM,' Lanier said. 'The whole front office was there and the coaching staff, so it was great. It was a great opportunity.'
In Lanier's last season at North Florida before transferring, he led the country in offensive efficiency, and his 44 percent from deep also led the nation (among players averaging seven-plus attempts).
3 Volunteers guard Chaz Lanier goes up for a layup during Tennessee's Elite Eight loss to Houston.
AP
He won the Jerry West Award this season at Tennessee as the nation's top shooting guard, was fourth in the country in 3s (123) and in the 99th percentile in win shares (5.2).
A strong draft combine showing also raised Lanier's stock. He led all prospects in spot-up shooting and free-throw shooting.
He finished third in standing vertical leap, fifth in lane agility and second in aggregate shooting, trailing only Alabama's Mark Sears.
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His skill set could come in handy for a Nets team that wants to take 3s (top 10 in attempts last season) but can't hit them (bottom 10 in percentage).
Considering they're in a rebuild, there is a runway toward playing time.
'Definitely a golden opportunity. I feel like everything needs shooting, especially in today's league and the way most teams play,' Lanier said. 'And in Brooklyn, they play an unselfish brand of basketball. You're out there on the court having a great time with your teammates and playing defense, most importantly.
'I really admire the way coach Jordi Fernández really runs the organization. The culture is amazing. Being able to meet with everybody and all the staff, getting to meet some of the players you can tell everybody's bought into the culture. It's not about 'me,' it's about 'we.' And I really admire that about what coach is building.'