Tennessee Forward Nate Ament Enters 2026 NBA Draft
Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
KNOXVILLE – A day before the decision deadline, Tennessee freshman forward Nate Ament has officially entered his name into the 2026 NBA Draft, he announced Thursday.
Ament, a Manassas (VA) native, averaged 16.7 points and a team leading 6.3 rebounds per game while earning All-SEC Second-Team honors and six SEC Freshman of the Week awards while playing 29.7 minutes per contest.
In the NCAA Tournament, Ament delivered 16 points on 4-for-11 shooting in Tennessee’s win over Virginia to send the Vols to the Sweet Sixteen. Against Miami (OH), however, he posted the first scoreless outing of his freshman campaign, going 0-for-3 in 18 minutes.
Projected as the No. 14 overall pick by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman earlier this spring, Ament’s stock dipped in recent mock drafts, leading many around the program to wonder if a return to Knoxville was possible. In the end, it wasn’t. Ament will move forward with the draft process and look to solidify his standing with a strong showing at the NBA Scouting Combine.
Ament helped Tennessee reach its third straight Elite Eight appearance and leaves Knoxville as one of the most productive freshmen of the Rick Barnes era. He looks to be the first lottery pick for the Vols since Marcus Haislip in 2002.
