Tennessee is sending another rising star to the NBA Draft Combine as Chaz Lanier officially receives an invitation to participate in this year's combine.
Dalton Knecht participated in last year's combine and showed out through most of the drills, looking like one of the top players in his draft class. Lanier will have the opportunity to do the same this year.
Lanier was a standout shooter in his only season on Rocky Top. He averaged 18.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game this past season and set Tennessee's single-season three-point record with 123 made three-pointers.
He was a big reason the Vols returned to the Elite 8 in back-to-back years, as the Vols' offense received a big boost, especially from three-point range, thanks to Lanier's scoring efforts.
Lanier will likely be the Vols' second-straight first-round draft pick, but he will have the opportunity to be a lottery pick if he can impress throughout combine week. NBADraft.net believes he can immediately become an impact player for any franchise as early as this year.
"Chaz Lanier projects as a polished, NBA-ready shooter with the strength, maturity, and basketball IQ to step into a rotation role quickly. His combination of efficient scoring, toughness, and veteran presence will appeal to playoff-caliber teams looking for bench shooting and spacing.
"While he lacks the upside of younger lottery prospects, his floor is relatively high thanks to his proven shot-making and physical tools," Aran Smith writes. "Likely to be targeted in the late first to early second round, Lanier could carve out a career as a reliable role player and situational scorer in the NBA."
The draft combine will take place from May 11 to May 18 in Chicago, Illinois. Lanier and other top college basketball players will participate in combine drills and games in front of scouts of each NBA franchise ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft in June.