Training Camp Media Availability: Chaz Lanier & J.B. Bickerstaff | 10.4.2025
um really just come in, listen to what everybody’s saying and soak everything up. Um you know, being a first first year player, it’s a lot to learn. So, just having my ears open and um just learning a lot and going as hard as I can. This is a unique team and it’s a young team, but these guys have also been around for a while. What has it been like just being able to ingratiate yourself into this and how the guys kind of help you along? Yeah, I mean, it’s just a blessing being being able to play for uh this organization and with a great group of guys. Um, like you said, we 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. So, um, like I said, just having my ears open and um, listening to what everybody’s saying, even though it’s um, a preseason game, how do you feel knowing that, you know, on Monday you be going into your first NBA game, especially considering that it’s going to be in Memphis? Yeah, I mean, it’s going to be fun. Um, I’m like you said, I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, so being able to go back home to Tennessee and Clay, that’s going to be a huge blessing. And, um, I’m just super excited. Training came off. We had a great camp. Um, we really sought after. So, I’m looking forward to the first inning. How do you kind of balance the emotions of that being your first preseason game um while also wanting to assert yourself um and not maybe over overdo things? Yeah. I mean, just looking at the game like it’s a real regular season game. And, um, I mean, I approach it the same way I approach practice. Go out there, give it all I can, play hard for my teammates, do whatever the team needs for me to go out there and do um, and have fun and look forward to getting the win. So that that’s that’s the main thing. Just going out there trying to win. Do you know how many friends and family you’re going to have at the game? I don’t know yet, but I know it’s going to be a decent bit for sure. Has there been anything that you’ve gone through this week that surprised you at all? Um, I mean, we have a lot of terminology, but at the end of the day, it’s just basketball. Um, a lot of the actions we ran, we run, we run it in college. Um, so just putting the the labels on the plays to, um, actually going out there and seeing what the plays are, that’s just been a little bit different. But um it’s just basketball at the end of the day and the guys have been super helpful with me um just welcoming welcoming me and uh just dropping knowledge on me as you get to know this team and JV, but all these guys had JB last year. What have they told you about him as a coach? Um he’s a super fun coach. He’s super competitive and um he’s going to make you play hard. Um we’re going to go hard for sure. Um but that’s one thing. He’s just super firing. He loves the game and you can tell how he coaches us that he loves his players as well. So, we’re going to play hard. What’s it like being able to watch like another elite shooter, a guy that’s done it and ducking Robinson and is there anything you’ve been watching him as far as that? Yeah, I mean, he’s just the ultimate professional in the way he carries himself every day. Um, so I’ve definitely been picking his brain a lot and um trying to get tips and tricks here and there every day. Um, so he Duncan is a great dude and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from me. Is it too early or have you already kind of attached yourself to a vet to to learn from the team? Um, I’ve really just been attaching myself to everybody, everybody on the team and soaking everything up. Um, when you go back, what did you get an opportunity um to go back and take a look at your performance in summer league? And is there anything that you, you know, kind of wanted to improve upon before going into um the regular season? Yeah, I mean, I definitely went went back and watched my summer league film and the full game. So, uh, just continuing to improve on defense and, um, continuing to sharp up all my tools. First preseasoning game coming up Monday, obviously. What do you look for in the first free throwing game specifically? Uh, execution of our stuff. Um, you know, we’ve spent a lot of time uh, working on the details uh, of our system offensively and defensively. So, we want to see where we are and how we can execute it uh, against other teams. you know, cup a lot of times when you’re playing against yourself and you know what’s coming. Uh but if you can execute it versus other teams when they’re not as prepared for it, uh you see where you stand a little bit. And then obviously preseason is time to sort of figure out lineups, rotations, all that before the season starts. Like how do you find a balance between kind of knowing, you know, which guys are going to be towards the top of that also find opportunities for everybody to run up? Uh like the way camp has gone, uh there’s not one guy out here that I can tell you doesn’t deserve to play. Uh camp has been so competitive and guys have played at such a high level. Um you know I’m pleased with the depth that we have. Uh but we got some tough decisions to make because of it. Uh what have you seen so far from Chaser? What are some of your expectations for him as he prepares for his group seat? Uh I mean he’s taken it all in. Uh and I think he’s learned on the fly quickly. Uh you watch his natural instincts offensively and uh he’s unbelievable at region again. Like he knows spacing on the floor. He knows when to cut. Uh like I’ve told our staff, there’s going to come a point in time in his career where he has 30 points and he’s only dribbled the ball four times. Like he’s got that type of offball feel and awareness and ability to shoot the balls. What have you seen from say all right in this first week of of practice? Uh he’s been good. Um you know, all the things that we’ve asked. He looks explosive. Uh he looks comfortable out there. Looks like himself. T said the biggest thing transitioning was the terminology. He’s kind of using the labels. Do you feel like he’s getting a good grip on it? Do you expect that, you know, if he take little minutes? Yeah, I mean, that’s typical. Uh, and that’s typical not only for him, but when trades happen and those types of things, uh, because each program just uses different, uh, verbiage. So, he picked up on it pretty well. Uh, and then once he gets it, you know, the good thing about it is with him, it clicks quickly. Have any prouder for him or you guys about this first being in message big or you bring it up? Uh, I mean, we don’t bring it up. Uh, you know, we obviously understand how important it is one to get here and then have the opportunity to play in front of your family for the first time. Uh, you know, we value that also. Uh, but it’s not something that, you know, we talk about or bring up, but we know he’s excited and they are too. Uh, I mean, again, just the opportunity to do it against somebody else. Uh, the opportunity to see where you stand versus another NBA opponent. you know, a team, you know, is going to be well coached. They’re going to be disciplined. Uh they obviously have a ton of talent. So, you get an opportunity to see where your system is. You know, what tweaks you may need to make because of your opponents and the way that they play you and if you’re going to make those adjustments in game or not. I know you’re not going to go whether or not, you know, the starters and stuff are going to play, but um just for you personally knowing him as a man, what do you think it’s going to be like for you to see um Gayton Ivy on the floor for the very first time if he gets off the street? Uh, I mean it’d be huge, you know, like when you got a guy who worked as hard as he worked to come back from an injury. Um, you know, a guy who cares about his teammates and wants to play with his teammates. Uh, you know, it is emotional. Uh, and I think that’s the best part about it. His teammates just welcome him back uh with their arms wide open and we look forward to we look forward to, you know, what he’ll be able to do going forward. Mel. All right. Thank God.
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