Rick Barnes Gives An Injury Update On Five-Star Freshman

Image: Saul Young

By Aidan Sidoti

Vols hoops fans received a reassuring update from head coach Rick Barnes on Thursday afternoon regarding five-star freshman Nate Ament, who has been sidelined from practice with a left wrist injury sustained on July 14.

Barnes stressed that the decision to hold Ament out of practices has been strictly precautionary. 

“If we were playing games,” Barnes said during his media availability, “Nate would have played.”

Heading into his eleventh year in Knoxville, Barnes explained that the coaching staff decided to be cautious with Ament, citing the extensive work the five-star has already put in during the summer. 

“We’ve done a lot with him,” Barnes noted. “He could practice, but we’ve chosen not to.”

Ament, a 6-foot-10 forward from Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, was ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in the nation, becoming the highest-rated recruit in program history to sign with the Volunteers. 

Committing to the Vols in April of this year, Ament selected UT over Duke and SEC rivals Arkansas and Kentucky. 

Ament is pegged by multiple outlets as a top-five pick in next year’s NBA Draft.