Latest news with #JerryWestAward
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Detroit Pistons to host NBA predraft workout with Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier
The Detroit Pistons' priorities are coming into focus as we inch closer to the 2025 NBA Draft. Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier has a predraft workout scheduled with the Pistons on Monday, June 2, a source told the Free Press. Lanier led the Volunteers in scoring last season and won the Jerry West Award, which goes to the top shooting guard in the country. Advertisement The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 18 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and knocked down 39.5% of his 3-pointers, on 8.2 attempts as a fifth-year senior. He played his previous four seasons at North Florida, where he averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 44% shooting from 3 in 2023-24, his final season there. TRENDING: 10 unrestricted free agents Detroit Pistons could pursue in 2025 Tennessee Volunteers guard Chaz Lanier shoots the ball against the Houston Cougars in the first half during the Midwest Regional final of the NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium, March 30, 2025 in Indianapolis. Lanier is currently slated to be a second-round pick — ESPN projects him at 42nd overall to the Sacramento Kings, Yahoo has him 41st to the Golden State Warriors and The Athletic predicts he'll go 49th to the New York Knicks. The Pistons do not have a first-round pick but have the 37th overall pick in the draft, scheduled for June 25 (first round) and June 26 (second round). Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has preached the importance of having adequate shooting on the floor, and Lanier would give them additional insurance on the perimeter with both Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. entering unrestricted free agency. Advertisement [ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Follow the Pistons all year long with the best coverage at Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online or in print. Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress). This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons to host Tennessee's Chaz Lanier for NBA draft workout
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier makes his Nets NBA draft pitch
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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 Advertisement 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. Follow all the basketball buzz in Brooklyn Sign up for Inside the Nets by Brian Lewis, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Advertisement 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.'
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier wins Jerry West Award
Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier wins Jerry West Award Tennessee basketball player Chaz Lanier won the 2024-25 Jerry West Award. His selection for the honor was announced on ESPN's "College GameDay." The Jerry West Award, named in honor of the late class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, is given to the best shooting guard in the country and distributed by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "I want to start by thanking the West family and the selection committee for naming me the recipient of this incredible distinction," Lanier said. "It is a true privilege to win the Jerry West Award and I am deeply honored. I would not bein this position without God and the support of my family, my coaches, my teammates and the fans. "Representing the University of Tennessee this year has been special and this accolade is not just about me, but about all of us who contributed to such an awesome season." Lanier averaged 18.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for Tennessee, helping the Vols' reach the Elite Eight for the third time in school history. He was a Second-Team All-SEC selection and was named the SEC Newcomer and the Year. Lanier was also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Knoxville native Jordan James becomes first male athlete to join Tennessee dance team
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — When football, basketball and track just didn't seem like the right fit, Jordan James found himself in a dance class. 'I had a little jazz funk class. I didn't care a care in the world. I probably looked like a hot mess throwing my body around,' said James. That was the start of James feeling like he found his place. About seven years later, that place became Tennessee. Chaz Lanier wins prestigious Jerry West Award 'At first I was a little iffy about dancing in college. And then I went on a tour with two of my current teammates, Mercedes and Alana, and they like really made me feel comfortable here and like this could be my future home for the next four years,' James said. 'Then I went to a clinic, I think that's when I realized this is where I wanna be. I'm gonna keep working at it until I can dance for the Vols.' While a guy had never made the Tennessee dance team, around the country, they had. 'I think once one person did it or you see like another person its kind of like a trend that starts, I saw a couple guys on a college dance team and I was like 'oh, I want to do that.' And I didn't know not necessarily that it was possible but that was an option for me. You never know if it's an option for you until you try,' said James. Now proudly wearing the orange and white, James is among those who once inspired him. CONTINUING COVERAGE: University of Tennessee Athletics 'I think it's so important to me because there's nothing worse than feeling defeated or why bother trying, so like seeing someone else that is representing the boys in the dance community I think its really important to have that representation of if I can do it you can do it,' James said. The freshman in a position to show younger dancers that there's a space to find their place, just like he did. 'When people come up to me with that, it just makes means the world to me because just like knowing that I've inspired other people,' said James, 'I'm had people contact, DM me, in various other ways but in person at a basketball game or football game like OMG, you've inspired me so much I just get overwhelmed with joy.' ▶ See more top stories on While it's it's cool to be the first guy dancer at Tennessee, James talked about how he doesn't necessarily look at it that way, saying he's just another person on the team and there to represent the Vols in every way possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chaz Lanier wins prestigious Jerry West Award
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee basketball sharpshooter Chaz Lanier has garnered a coveted national award for his stellar play on Rocky Top. Lanier was named the Jerry West Award winner live during ESPN College GameDay on Saturday ahead of the Final Four games. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame has awarded the distinction to the best shooting guard in college basketball for the last 11 seasons as part of the Naismith Starting Five. Greeneville native Ja'Kobi Gillespie commits to Tennessee after helping Maryland to Sweet 16 This marks the second straight season that a Tennessee Volunteer has earned a spot in the Naismith Starting Five. Dalton Knecht won the 2023-2024 Julius Erving Award as the nation's best small forward. Lanier averaged 18 points per game this season after transferring from North Florida. He set a new program record for most three-pointers in a single season with 123, the sixth-best mark of any single season in SEC history. The Nashville native was also named a Wooden Award All-American and SEC Newcomer of the Year among several other plaudits. THE LATEST: University of Tennessee Basketball news Tennessee finished the season with a 30-8 record and spent the entire year inside the AP top 12. They reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, a first in men's program history. 'I want to start by thanking the West family and the selection committee for naming me the recipient of this incredible distinction,' Lanier said. 'It is a true privilege to win the Jerry West Award and I am deeply honored. I would not be in this position without God and the support of my family, my coaches, my teammates and the fans. Representing the University of Tennessee this year has been special and this accolade is not just about me, but about all of us who contributed to such an awesome season.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
