Oct 6, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Chaz Lanier (20) saves the ball from going out of bounds during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Detroit Pistons Rookie Praised for His Shooting Prowess

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 11:40 AM ET

In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons found themselves in a rare position. After years of picking in the top five, they found themselves without a selection in the first round.

While they might not have had a first-round pick, the Pistons still had an opportunity to add more youth to the roster. Detroit had the seventh selection in the second round, where they ended up taking Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier.

Lanier is an older prospect, playing in college for five years before entering his name in the draft. Already a polished talent, the Pistons brought him in for one key area of his game. That being his strong three-point shooting.

Towards the end of his college career, Lanier showed the potential of being an effective high-volume shooter. In 2024, he converted 44% of his three-pointers on over seven attempts per game. He followed that up by shooting 39.5% on eight attempts per game as a senior.

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Upon joining the Pistons, Lanier will attempt to carve out a role for himself in J.B. Bickerstaff's rotation. While this is an uphill battle, he looks to have made a strong first impression with his new coach.

Towards the end of training camp, Bickerstaff was asked his thoughts on the Pistons' newest young talent. He applauded Lanier's shooting ability and how well he moves around without the ball.

"You watch his natural instincts offensively," Bickerstaff said. "He's unbelievable at reading the game. He knows spacing on the floor, he knows when to cut. I've told our staff there's gonna come a point in time in his career where he has 30 points and he's only dribbled the ball four times. He's got that type of off-ball feel and awareness."

“There is going to come a point in time in his career where he has 30 points and only dribbled the ball four times.”

Bickerstaff speaks on rookie Chaz Lanier following day 5 of training camp. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/bSOphix4ge
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) October 4, 2025

Lanier played his first game with the Pistons Monday night in the team's preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies. He showed off his shooting prowess. knocking down three of his five attempts from beyond the arc en route to finishing the night with 11 points.

With the Pistons' need for outside shooting, Lanier has a chance to work his way onto the floor in his rookie year. If he can continue to be a viable option from deep, Bickerstaff might have no choice but to give him an opportunity to further showcase his talents in the regular season.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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