KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Chaz Lanier of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is the 2024-25 Jerry West Award designee, as revealed Saturday afternoon, live on ESPN College GameDay.
The annual Jerry West Award, named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, is in its 11th year. The prestigious distinction, distributed by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is given to the best shooting guard in the country.
“I want to start by thanking the West family and the selection committee for naming me the recipient of this incredible distinction,” Lanier said. “It is a true privilege to win the Jerry West Award and I am deeply honored. I would not be in this position without God and the support of my family, my coaches, my teammates and the fans. Representing the University of Tennessee this year has been special and this accolade is not just about me, but about all of us who contributed to such an awesome season.”
Lanier edged Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe, Memphis’ P.J. Haggerty, Texas’ Tre Johnson and Arizona’s Caleb Love for the honor. This is the second consecutive year a Volunteer has earned a Naismith Starting Five plaudit, as Dalton Knecht garnered the Julius Erving Award in 2023-24.
The designation puts Lanier alongside some of the finest players in recent college basketball history as Jerry West Award winners. The prior honorees are North Carolina’s R.J. Davis (2023-24), Houston’s Marcus Sasser (2022-23), Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis (2021-22), Oregon’s Chris Duarte (2020-21), Seton Hall’s Myles Powell (2019-20), Duke’s R.J. Barrett (2018-19), Purdue’s Carsen Edwards (2017-18), Kentucky’s Malik Monk (2016-17), Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield (2015-16) and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell (2014-15).
Purdue’s Braden Smith won the Bob Cousy Award (point guard), Duke’s Cooper Flagg received the Julius Erving Award (small forward), Auburn’s Johni Broome collected the Karl Malone Award (power forward) and Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner garnered the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (center).
The winners were determined by a combination of input from committees composed of top basketball personnel and Starting Five Fan Voting. The Hall of Fame selection committees—they include media members, coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers—named the preseason watch list of 20 candidates in October. The list was narrowed to 10 candidates in February and five candidates in March before determining the winner. All season long, players were able to play their way into award consideration.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate the best in the game at every level, both men and women,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “The student-athletes receiving our Starting Five Awards exemplify the talent and character of the Hall of Famers these awards are named in honor of. We recognize this outstanding group as the next generation of basketball stars, and are confident they will continue to excel in all they do. Today, we celebrate their achievements as we officially name them the Men’s and Women’s 2025 Naismith Starting Five.”
In his lone season on Rocky Top, Lanier averaged 18.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He set a school record with 123 made 3-pointers, good for the sixth-highest single-season total in SEC history.
A fifth-year guard, Lanier was named an NABC Third Team All-American, a The Sporting News Third Tean All-American and a Wooden Award All-American. He collected AP First Team All-SEC status and, from the league’s head coaches, SEC Newcomer of the Year plaudits.
Lanier helped lead Tennessee to arguably the finest season in program history, as the Volunteers went 30-8 (12-6 SEC) and reached the Elite Eight. The team the entire season in the AP top 12, including each of the last 17 weeks in the top eight, with five appearances at the No. 1 spot.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
