Lander played basketball for
FJ Reitz High School in
Evansville, Indiana. As a junior, he averaged 21 points, six rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, earning
MaxPreps Junior All-American third team honors. Lander finished his high school career with 1,314 points. He also played on the
AAU circuit with Indiana Elite, where he built a relationship with future college teammates
Trey Galloway and
Anthony Leal. Lander was a consensus five-star
recruit, according to major recruiting services. On February 25, 2020, he announced his commitment to Indiana over offers from
Louisville,
Memphis and
Michigan, among others. On May 18, it was announced that Lander, originally a member of the 2021 class, would
reclassify to the 2020 class. He made the decision in part because he wanted to play with
Trayce Jackson-Davis. ==College career==