One thing about coaches of any sport — they’ll use anything they possibly can to get their point across to their players. Benching a player when they’re not playing well is a popular method. But Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes took it to a new level this weekend. Chaz Lanier is one of the top scorers for the Volunteers. He is averaging 19 points per game, shooting 42% from the floor and 43% from the 3-point line. It’s safe to say his job is to score. He played his first four season at North Florida before he transferred to Tennessee. Like most college players, he has an NIL deal. Lanier struggled in Tennessee’s 74-70 win over Texas on Saturday. He only scored 10 points in 34 minutes and shot 3-of-11 from the floor. He took to the floor to start the second half, but when he touched the ball on the first possession, he turned down a shot. Turns out, Barnes drew up the play for Lanier to shoot. When he didn’t, Barnes removed him from the game. On the surface, it’s not a completely curious coaching move, especially if the player is struggling. It’s what happened after the game that raised eyebrows. Barnes, in speaking to the media covering the game in Austin, Texas, said that he benched Lanier because his job is to shoot the ball — and he didn’t shoot it.“I took him out, the first play of the second half, because he didn’t shoot the ball,” Barnes said to multiple outlets. “That play was designed for that shot. And I told him, I said, ‘if you’re not going to do what you’re getting paid to do, you sit over here.’ ’Cause he is getting paid to do that.”It’s the sort of retort that one would expect from an NBA coach. Players are paid millions to create offense in the pros. When they don’t produce, they get benched. That’s what they’re paid to do. Barnes applied that logic to Lanier in that situation. He’s getting NIL money to create offense. Barnes drew up a play for the fifth-year senior to do his job. When he didn’t, Barnes sat him for a bit to reinforce the lesson. Barnes is one of the best coaches in the game, universally respected throughout the sport. By applying a pro coaching move and using Lanier’s NIL pay as a reason for his bench, he’s created a new paradigm in college athletics, especially as the era of revenue sharing approaches in July.

Tennessee Volunteers Basketball Coach Benches Star over NIL Agreement

It’s what happened after the game that raised eyebrows. Barnes, in speaking to the media covering the game in Austin, Texas, said that he benched Lanier because his job is to shoot the ball — and he didn’t shoot it.Barnes applied that logic to Lanier in that situation. He’s getting NIL money to create offense. […]

It’s what happened after the game that raised eyebrows. Barnes, in speaking to the media covering the game in Austin, Texas, said that he benched Lanier because his job is to shoot the ball — and he didn’t shoot it.Barnes applied that logic to Lanier in that situation. He’s getting NIL money to create offense. Barnes drew up a play for the fifth-year senior to do his job. When he didn’t, Barnes sat him for a bit to reinforce the lesson. Benching a player when they’re not playing well is a popular method. But Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes took it to a new level this weekend. “I took him out, the first play of the second half, because he didn’t shoot the ball,” Barnes said to multiple outlets. “That play was designed for that shot. And I told him, I said, ‘if you’re not going to do what you’re getting paid to do, you sit over here.’ ’Cause he is getting paid to do that.”One thing about coaches of any sport — they’ll use anything they possibly can to get their point across to their players. He played his first four season at North Florida before he transferred to Tennessee. Like most college players, he has an NIL deal. Chaz Lanier is one of the top scorers for the Volunteers. He is averaging 19 points per game, shooting 42% from the floor and 43% from the 3-point line. It’s safe to say his job is to score. It’s the sort of retort that one would expect from an NBA coach. Players are paid millions to create offense in the pros. When they don’t produce, they get benched. That’s what they’re paid to do. Lanier struggled in Tennessee’s 74-70 win over Texas on Saturday. He only scored 10 points in 34 minutes and shot 3-of-11 from the floor. He took to the floor to start the second half, but when he touched the ball on the first possession, he turned down a shot. Turns out, Barnes drew up the play for Lanier to shoot. When he didn’t, Barnes removed him from the game. On the surface, it’s not a completely curious coaching move, especially if the player is struggling. Barnes is one of the best coaches in the game, universally respected throughout the sport. By applying a pro coaching move and using Lanier’s NIL pay as a reason for his bench, he’s created a new paradigm in college athletics, especially as the era of revenue sharing approaches in July.