Lanie Grant heads to Chapel Hill a year early to start up her collegiate career
Lanie Grant is one of the youngest players in college basketball, but don't be fooled: she is more than ready to take on the next level.
Grant has been a long-term commit to the UNC women's basketball program, having committed prior to even playing her first high school game! She was 14 at the time, and now three years later is set to finally wear the Carolina Blue uniform.
The reigning Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, Grant elected to re-classify to make her way to Chapel Hill a season early. With her experience, especially as a two-time gold medalist for Team USA, Grant is ready to be a productive member of the Tar Heels' back court for years to come.
As our UNC women's basketball player previews for the 2024-2025 season continue, let's get to know Lanie Grant a bit:
Getting to Know Lanie Grant
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
Height: 5-foot-9
Hometown: Midlothian, Virginia
High School: James River
Ranking: No. 59 in the Class of 2024 (ESPN HoopGurlz)
What to Expect in 2024-2025
Some people may have doubts about the type of impact that a re-classified freshman can make right away, but Lanie Grant is a two-way player whose skillset should transition nicely to the college level.
Not only is she a very capable ball-handling guard, she has elite range, being able to make shots from anywhere on the floor. She's not just an elite scorer but is a player who features a high basketball IQ and makes winning plays on both ends of the floor.
In most cases, programs won't allow a player to re-classify unless they have a plan in place for them. For Grant, I'd expect her to be a major contributor in the back court as the UNC women's basketball program showcases their new-look back court this upcoming season.
Bold Prediction
Even though she's younger than her two recruiting class teammates (Blanca Thomas and Jordan Zubich), I expect Grant to score the most out of this group this season. As Courtney Banghart has quite a few options to experiment with, I believe it's only a matter of time before she becomes a full-time starter for this program.