Tennessee Forward Nate Ament is Perhaps the Most Intriguing NBA Draft Prospect of 2026
For the second straight year, Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament has a huge decision to make. Ament contemplates the same question as legendary British punk rockers The Clash, in their 1982 hit- “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
The superstar freshman is widely projected to become a top 15 overall pick, should he declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. Most likely, the 6-10, 207-pound wing from Manassas, VA will be a lottery pick if he decides he’s one-and-done with college basketball.
Or he can stay in Knoxville, TN, and truly be one of the kings of Rocky Top for another year.
If Ament, who was a finalist for the Julius Erving award (nation’s best small forward), stays in school, he could develop his game further and position himself as a potential top-five overall pick for 2027.
There seems to be a belief, among some NBA scouts, that the 2027 draft class will be weaker than the 2026 edition, so if you’re a prospect with additional eligibility, staying in college another season might be the right recourse.
Trusting the Process
Ament is a 5-star recruit who picked UT over blue blood programs Duke and Kentucky, as well as Arkansas and Louisville. He said the coaching staff and the roster that they assembled were major reasons why he chose the Volunteers.
“I kind of waited, later in my recruiting process, so I could see the team that was going to be here,” Ament said in an exclusive with Ratings.
“So I knew who my teammates were going to be, and I loved every one of them, like Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Jaylen Carey, and the returners like Felix (Okpara), and everybody coming back.
“I knew that they were gonna be great teammates to play with.”
UT is situated in Knoxville, which is in close proximity to several natural wonders, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest. It’s a vibrant campus filled with very passionate fans who love their teams, and their live mascot, an adorable bluetick coonhound named Smokey.
Off the court, Tennessee has a lot to offer in terms of trying to retain players like Ament for another year. On the court, head coach Rick Barnes has the Vols program rolling, as they lead the SEC in both total victories and winning percentage over the past nine years.
“(Coach Barnes) wasn’t gonna stop until he made me a better player,” Ament said on the final weekend of the season.
“And I think he’s done just that. So I know our job’s not over, and I know he has more work to do with me. So I think he’s delivered on this promise.”
Ament, Barnes, and the rest of the #6-seeded Vols upset the #2-seeded Iowa State Cyclones to reach the Elite Eight for the third straight season.
Unfortunately, they fell to eventual national champion Michigan in the next round and failed to reach the program’s first-ever Final Four.
Ament, who won a gold medal for the Team USA U18s in the FIBA World Championships, said he’s trying to get stronger, develop his body a little bit more, and “continue to just grow (basketball) IQ, (and) learn how to play the game,” when we asked him what he’s trying to improve upon.
The All-SEC second team honoree participated in the 2025 Jordan Brand Classic, a high school All-Star game, and when we caught up to him, it was at the United Center, the House that Michael Jordan Built.
“I’m blessed to play in this historic gym,” Ament said of the Madhouse on Madison in Chicago.
“I kind of been a little bit starstruck, seeing the jerseys up there- Derrick Rose and Michael Jordan, everybody- it’s been great.”
As someone born in 2006, Ament only knows of His Airness, and what made him elite, secondhand.
“I think I’m definitely too young to know his greatness,” the SEC All-Freshman Team member said.
“You only hear stories and watch highlights, so I couldn’t really understand his impact.
He then articulated which specific NBA greats served as an inspiration to him.
“I just grew up watching a bunch of basketball,” Ament continued.
“I grew up watching KD (Kevin Durant) and LeBron, Steph Curry, and a little bit of Russell Westbrook, those guys are all kind of up there for me.
“Just how exciting they were made me want to share my game like that.”
Praise from Teammates
Ament is one of the most intriguing draft prospects out there. Scouts marvel at his skill set and raw talent. His natural abilities are pretty awe-inspiring, but his game still needs some polish.
“He’s gifted in so many different ways,” said teammate and sophomore forward J.P. Estrella.
“He’s just a tall kid that just gets buckets. He does a little bit of everything. Defensively he’s gotten really good since being here. I feel like he’s got an unguardable jump shot in that little mid-range.
“He just does a little bit of everything for us, and it benefits us as a team so much.”
Another teammate, and member of Ament’s recruiting class, Amari Evans, lauded his strong work ethic, and said that going against him every day in practice has made both players better.
“I feel like Nate, he’s a hard worker,” said Evans.
“It ain’t just raw talent. He’s putting in the work to get to where he’s at, to put up the buckets he’s putting up every day. And I feel like he’s a great player to play against every day in practice.”
No matter which way Ament decides to go, the future looks very bright for him.