Incoming Tennessee transfer Chaz Lanier met with the local media on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since arriving in Knoxville earlier this summer.
Lanier was the most notable recruiting win for Tennessee basketball in the transfer portal this offseason when he chose the Vols over Kentucky and BYU. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard averaged 19.7 points a season ago at North Florida on an impressive 51% shooting from the field and 44% shooting from three-point range.
In his first media availability at Tennessee, Lanier discussed why he chose the Vols, what his early impressions of the team are and much more. Here’s everything Lanier said.
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On the recruiting frenzy as he went through the NBA Draft process and entered the NCAA Transfer Portal out of North Florida
“Yeah, definitely a different time in my life. I’ve never been through something like it, but just blessed to be in the position that I’m in. It was definitely a hectic time going through recruiting and then going through the draft process and then ending up choosing Tennessee, but just a blessing overall.”
On why he ended up picking Tennessee over Kentucky and BYU
“A big factor was definitely location, coming back home playing for my home state. It just means a little bit more to me. And then playing for a Hall of Fame coach in Rick Barnes. And just the family culture here. I knew I’d be joining a family and something that’s bigger than me.”
On making the transition from North Florida to Tennessee and playing at his level, in the SEC
“It’s definitely a different game — more physicality — but I feel like my game will definitely transition pretty well. We’ve been working every day in practice and going at it. I’m surrounded by great players who get me better every day and push me to my limits, so I feel like I’m in the right place.”
On the most eye-opening moment for him since he arrived at Tennessee
“I’d say the most eye-opening thing is definitely the tempo of the game. It’s more sped up. And that’s just the way we play here at Tennessee, but I’m adjusting pretty well.”
On what the Tennessee players were like around him during the recruiting process and since he joined the program
“The guys have been great. Definitely welcomed me with open arms. But I mean, every day they push me in practice. We play one-on-one on the weekends, so they definitely want to get the best out of me and see what I’m made of.”
On what the Tennessee staff was like during the recruiting process, their message about what it would be like here
“It has definitely been everything we talked about during recruiting. Like I said, they just been pushing me and bringing the best out of me, working me super hard in practice, but teaching me a lot. I’ve learned a lot with the couple weeks I’ve been here already, so it’s been great.”
On what parts of his game he has been working since getting to Tennessee, what its like working with Rick Barnes in practice
“One thing for me is just working on my body and getting stronger and also getting adjusted to the physicality and also just speeding up my pace. Coming from a mid-major to high major, the pace is a little bit different and I have to do things a little bit faster. So I’d say that speed.”
On if Tennessee coaches have tweaked his shot since he arrived on campus
“I’ve gotten faster, but no big tweaks.”
On what feedback he got from NBA personnel during the NBA Draft process
“A lot of NBA teams were saying they want to see me make plays for my teammates. They can see that I can shoot the ball and score the ball, but make plays for other people and my teammates and shoot the ball faster and show my defense a little bit more.”
On his first impression of Tennessee’s guards and going against them in practice
“They’re great. Like Shack (Jahmai Mashack), he’s super physical. ‘Z’ (Zakai Zeigler) super fast on his feet, so I have to play a little bit lower, do things a little bit different than I did at North Florida, but I’ve just been playing my game getting better every day.”
On any Tennessee players he’s leaned on during this transition phase
“All the guys are great. I say I’m really close with the older guys like Shack, Zakai, and Igore (Milicic Jr.), but all the guys have been great.”
On it meaning more to him to play for his home-state school, if he talked to any former Tennessee players during the recruiting process
“I’m super tight with Ron Slay and also Jordan Bone. Before I committed here, I talked to Jordan Bone a lot and I leaned on him. He answered a lot of my questions. He just told me it was going to be super challenging, but he said, man, you’re built for it. And playing with Tennessee, there is nothing like that.”
On the family atmosphere at Tennessee and if that played a part in his decision
“That definitely played a part in my decision to come here. Just the culture that Coach Barnes has built up here and the standard that the guys hold each other to. There’s nothing like it.”
On if he knew he’d be picking Tennessee once he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal
“No, I definitely had some other options in the area, but it came down to really Tennessee for me.”
On if the way Tennessee used Dalton Knecht as a transfer last season was something he considered
“Yeah, seeing Dalton’s journey was definitely eye-opening and attractive for me because we’ve kind of taken a similar route. So that definitely played a part.”
On being part of a four-player transfer class for Tennessee and what it has been like getting to know Igor Milicic Jr., Felix Okpara and Darlinstone Dubar
“We’ve definitely bonded, all being new here. All of them, they’re great people off the floor and on the floor, so it’s been great.”
On what he has been impressed with on the floor when playing with the other Tennessee transfers
“Just the skill level and the talent level. There’s nothing like it. The guys are like the physicality, everything. I mean all around, the guys are great.”
On what it has been like playing with Tennessee point guard Zakai Zeigler
“He just makes the game so much easier. And then the intensity he plays with on defense makes me level up my defense even more. So he’s a great one guard.”
On Dalton Knecht saying he got better by facing Jahmai Mashack in practice, if that is something he has seen for himself since getting to Tennessee
“Definitely. Jahmai, he’s definitely one of the premier defenders in the country. So playing against him every day in practice, it forces me to get better every day. So he’s great.”
