Tennessee Volunteers Guard Joins NIL Millionaire Club Among Established Stars

The Tennessee guard recently broke into the NIL millionaire club with his recent deals.

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier (2) runs around UT Martin guard Tarence Guinyard (1) during an NCAA basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and UT Martin Skyhawks at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier recently joined the NIL millionaire club with a current value of $1.5 million. He currently sits at No. 30 in the NIL 100 and ranks No. 10 among college basketball athletes.

The 2024-25 season is Lanier's first season with Tennessee. He spent the majority of his career with the North Florida Ospreys, returning to his home state of Tennessee for the chance to play in front of his family. Prior to the start of the season, Lanier was one of the top players in the transfer portal, coveted by teams like BYU and Kentucky.

Lanier's performance in the Volunteer's matchup against the Virginia Cavaliers really shined a light on his worth, both on the court and off. Recording his 1,000th career point with a three-pointer in the 3rd quarter opened the fans eyes. The guard's exceptional efforts have definitely raised Tennessee to huge heights, lifting them four positions in the rankings into Week 8.

In the SEC, the Volunteers are currently sitting at No. 4, behind Florida, Kentucky, and Auburn.

Although Lanier's NIL deals are not widely publicized, his worth has tipped the scales in order to place Lanier amongst good company. Bigger endorsements could be on the way if Lanier continues on his current path. In the past 10 weeks, his worth increased, even surpassing UConn's superstar, Paige Bueckers, whose NIL value reaches $1.4 million.

Other established NIL stars will need to make room for Lanier and his efforts to make a name for himself.

From his stellar performance in North Florida, all eyes have been on Lanier as he entered the SEC with Tennessee, and more eyes will continue to turn towards Lanier as the season progresses.

As the season matures, Tennessee will look to make an appearance in the NCAA postseason, potentially topping their Elite Eight appearance from last season. With Lanier, the Volunteers have already proven that they could be contenders for an NCAA title.

Tennessee plays their next game on Tuesday, Dec. 3 against the Syracuse Orange, where they will look to improve their record to 8-0. The Vols have yet to play a conference game, with their first to come just after the new year against Arkansas.

Lanier will have big shoes to fill in the SEC, but he has already made waves with fans and opposing teams. To stay updated with his climb up the NIL ranks, visit On3's website for all things NIL.