Chaz Lanier just had his first real “welcome to the pros” moment-and it came with the game on the line.
With the Motor City Cruise down one and time ticking away, Lanier delivered a cold-blooded game-winner at the buzzer to lift Detroit’s G League squad to a 113-112 win over the College Park Skyhawks. It wasn’t a flashy step-back or a wide-open look.
This was a tough, contested runner off a sideline out-of-bounds play-pump fake, drive, contact, bucket. Game.
That’s the kind of shot that sticks with a young player. Not because it was perfect-Lanier actually struggled shooting the ball all game, finishing with just 11 points and hitting only one of his six attempts from deep-but because it was clutch.
When it mattered most, he delivered. And that says something.
Beyond the buzzer-beater, Lanier added five rebounds and four assists, and perhaps most impressively, didn’t turn the ball over once. That’s the kind of clean, composed play coaches love to see from a developing guard.
Lanier’s been bouncing between the G League and the NBA this season, spending most of his time on the Detroit Pistons' active roster. He’s logged 13 games at the NBA level so far, averaging 3.3 points and 1.1 rebounds in just over 10 minutes per night. It’s been a limited sample size, but the Pistons clearly see something they like.
In the G League, though, he’s been more than just a role player. In four games with the Cruise this season, Lanier’s putting up 22.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. That’s the kind of production that turns heads-especially when paired with moments like Monday’s game-winner.
Lanier’s path to this point hasn’t been the traditional one. After four years at North Florida, he transferred to Tennessee for a single season and made the most of it.
He averaged 18 points and 3.9 boards per game in Knoxville, earning First Team All-SEC honors and taking home SEC Newcomer of the Year. He also made history as the first Vol to win the Jerry West Award, given to the nation’s top shooting guard, and broke Chris Lofton’s long-standing single-season three-point record at Tennessee.
That résumé helped him climb into the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, where the Pistons grabbed him with the 37th overall pick-one of two Tennessee players selected in that round.
Now, Lanier’s carving out his role in the league. He’s not a finished product yet, but moments like this show why Detroit took the swing.
He’s got poise, a scorer’s mentality, and a knack for stepping up when it counts. And if he keeps stacking performances like this, it won’t be long before he’s making those same plays in NBA arenas.