17-year-old guard Lanie Grant adjusts to Division I basketball after reclassifying

Courtney Banghart made the trip from Greensboro to Richmond's Siegel Center following a second-round elimination in last season's ACC tournament in March. 

The UNC women's basketball head coach went to watch James River High School play in the Virginia state championship, led by then-junior North Carolina commit Lanie Grant.

Grant left her heart on the court. The 5-foot-9 guard dropped 40 points in what was a losing effort for James River, falling to the powerhouse program of Princess Anne High School. Banghart, impressed from the stands, knew she had something special on her hands.

“I literally texted her mom and said, ‘Your kid can help us right now,’” Banghart said. “That's all I said.”

That's all that needed to be said. 48 hours later, Grant reclassified to join the Tar Heels as a first-year for the 2024-25 season.

The Virginia native was counting down the days until she could put on her Carolina Blue uniform. Considering she committed to North Carolina at 14 years old, before she even checked in to a high school basketball game, those days had piled up. Coming from a family of longtime UNC fans, the choice was easy for the five-star recruit, who ranked No. 59 in the class of 2024.

“I wanted to be a part of this particular team because I believe we can do some really special things,” Grant said.

With its staff and cast of teammates, the legacy of UNC hoops and its competitive program made Chapel Hill the perfect spot for the young star.

“I'm telling you, the kid — all she cares about is competing,” Banghart said, “and so she knew that this would be a place where she could really compete.”

Grant received an invite to Stephen Curry’s elite “Curry Camp,” where she built a connection with the ten-time NBA All-Star.  She picked his brain on shooting and confidence. Off the court, Curry also gave Grant some pointers on her golf swing.

The guard continued to learn from the best, attending the NBA All-Star weekend with all-access as a part of the Jr. WNBA Court of Leaders — a mentorship program for future prospects. She also competed on both the U16 and U17 USA basketball rosters, earning the coveted gold medal twice.

“Whenever you can say you got a gold medal out of something, I mean it doesn't get much better than that,” Grant said.

The high school phenom now prepares herself for the transition to the college level.

Although she excelled at being able to put her head down and attack the rim, she is now looking to mold her playing style to the next level. While the process is more of a marathon than a sprint, the guard is taking it day by day.

“It's been hard in all the right ways,” Grant said. “I'm being challenged on the court, but there's been so much support and so much love.”

Grant's hard work has been noticed throughout the locker room. Taking on the challenge of the college transition a year early is an admirable feat, and the 17-year-old has continued to impress.

“She's a hard worker, I think that's the first thing that pops into my mind,” sophomore guard Reniya Kelly said. “I think she goes hard on and off the court. I think she's very determined, ambitious, and she knows what she wants.”

A major part of this journey is finding her role. Grant grew up as the star of every court she played on, but now she finds herself immersed in a roster chock-full of talent and experience.

With that being a huge factor in her decision to reclassify and join this year's team, Grant knows what's in store for her and is ready to face it head on.

“She felt like she was ready for the next challenge,” Banghart said, before later adding, “She felt that one more year of high school wouldn't have gotten her more ready.”

Handling this process requires maturity — the type of maturity that the head coach admires from her team's youngest player.

“She should've come two years ago," Banghart joked. “She's more mature than I am.”

@dylanstalterr

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