Report: North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier set to visit Kentucky, BYU
North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier has put Kentucky coach Mark Pope in an interesting spot, as he’s set to visit with the Wildcats and Pope’s former team in the BYU Cougars, according to Jeff Goodman of Field of 68.
Goodman noted that the coveted transfer could still visit the Tennessee Volunteers as well, but he’s also remained in the NBA Draft process, as he considers his options for 2024.
“North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier will visit BYU and Kentucky, his agent Deirunas Visockas from Tandem told @thefieldof68,” Goodman posted on X. “Also still a chance he visits Tennessee. Still hasn’t withdrawn from the NBA Draft process.”
Last season, Lanier averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season for North Florida, so it’s obvious why many teams are interested in adding him to their roster.
Lanier played high school basketball at Ensworth (TN), where he did not have a star rating as a member of the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.
The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Mark Pope breaks down what Collin Chandler brings to the floor
First-year head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Mark Pope, has been doing his best to rebuild the roster since taking over the program in mid-April. One player on his roster that Kentucky fans are excited to see on the floor next season is combo guard Colin Chandler.
Recently on the college hoops today podcast with John rothenstein, Pope dove into what kind of player Chandler is and what former Wildcat he reminds him of.
“It’s a great question, and it’s not an easy answer… because he’s got some uniqueness to him. He’s 6‘6” with shocking explosiveness and a real burst,” said Pope. “He’s got a really, really pretty stroke but, even more importantly, a soft ball — when the ball is released from his hands, it’s just really soft at the rim. He’s gonna go pounce on you, run back to the other end of the court, and fly around and guard. And he’s got this incredible heart, man; it’s just rare.”
“I don’t know who to compare that to, but I know it’s the DNA of something incredibly special.”
Chandler is a former highly touted top 50 recruit from the 2022 cycle. The 6-foot-6 combo guard has not been in action for the last two years as he has been on a church mission with stops in London and Sierra Leone. Chandler’s skills and tools on and off the court make him one of one and an invaluable piece to the success of Kentucky under Pope’s first season running the program.
On3’s Justin Rudolph contributed to this article.