The first-year pro is looking forward to his preseason debut against Memphis on Monday

With the start of Detroit’s preseason schedule just one day away, Pistons rookie Chaz Lanier is eager for his initial taste of NBA basketball as Monday's contest against the Memphis Grizzlies will mark a homecoming for the first-year pro. 

In college, Lanier played his final season for the Tennessee Volunteers, but from a larger perspective the 6-4 guard is originally from Nashville, TN and is expecting a crowd full of familiar faces for his NBA debut. 

“It's gonna be fun,” Lanier said after practice on Saturday. “Like you said, I'm from Nashville, Tennessee, so being able to go back home to Tennessee and play, that's gonna be a huge blessing and I'm just super excited. Training camp is over, so we had a great camp. I’m really excited for this. I'm looking forward to the first game.”

During the offseason, Lanier focused as much as he could on learning from his new teammates. With the Pistons fresh off a playoff berth last season, the whole squad is motivated to reach the postseason once again, so Lanier is looking to study his teammates’ approach to a prospective repeat playoff appearance.

“I’ve really just come in, listen to what everybody's saying and soak everything up,” Lanier said. “You know, being a first-year player, it's a lot to learn, so just having my ears open and I'm just learning a lot and going as hard as I can.”

Pistons Head Coach JB Bickerstaff ‘Pleased’ With Depth On Detroit’s Roster The Detroit Pistons will begin the pre-season on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies

In particular, Lanier said that he’s watched Duncan Robinson go about his process and routine, and the new Pistons sharpshooter is one player who Lanier feels that he can glean some key tips from. 

“This is a blessing being able to play for this organization, and what a great group of guys,” Lanier said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys and a lot of guys who have been here a lot of years, so it's a lot of knowledge spread around. Like I said, just having my ears open and listening to what everybody's saying.”

Earlier this summer, Lanier received a bit of run during the Summer League, and the Pistons rookie acquitted himself well during the limited playing time. Lanier showcased his marksman ability in knocking down three-pointers from the wing on many occasions, but he also made plays driving to the hoop or noticing back-door opportunities at the rim to show that he’s far from a one-dimensional player. 

With that experience under his belt, Lanier is looking to focus on his defensive ability going forward as he continues to practice under Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

“He's a super fun coach,” Lanier said. “He's super competitive, and he's gonna make you play hard. We're gonna go hard, for sure. But that's one thing– he's super fiery. He loves the game, and you can tell how he coaches us that he loves his players as well. So, we're gonna play hard.”

One sticking point for Lanier thus far has been learning all of the different terminology used on Bickerstaff’s squad, but the Pistons head coach said that is quite typical of a rookie’s transition into the NBA. Bickerstaff even went out of his way to highlight that Lanier is picking up his system well, so that bodes for the rookie’s playing time prospects moving forward. 

The Detroit Pistons will begin the preseason on Monday, Oct. 6 with an 8 pm game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies. 

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