Nate Ament Now Projected Outside Lottery Selections in Recent NBA Mock Draft

Nate Ament is now projected to land outside of the lottery despite being projected to be a top five selection.

Jan 28, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) dribbles against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have done a solid job when it comes to growing as a team here recently. Just wrapped up a major win against the Georgia Bulldogs, which adds to their winning streak. That brings their total to a two-game winning streak after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide days ago.

The star of these games was Nate Ament. Ament is a star forward who is in his first season with the Tennessee Volunteers. Ament has been electric in this recent stretch despite seeing some early struggles. It is safe to say that Ament didn't meet his expectations right away, but now he has reached what many were hopeful would come with his game right away.

The talented forward is currently averaging 16.3 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game, all while shooting a whopping 42/30/76 from the field. His shooting percentages don't look great, but he has improved in the past five games with his shot selection, as the game is becoming more natural for him instead of feeling forced.

Ament was originally expected to be a top-five draft pick, but that has officially gone out the window. He was also expected to land in the top-10, but that has dropped out of the picture as well, according to SB Nation. Ament is now expected to drop out of the lottery picks and will now be selected after the 20th pick. Here is where the website has predicted him to land

Nate Ament- Pick 22 Minnesota Timberwolves

Jan 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) shoots against Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (14) during the first half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

"Ament entered the year tracking as a possible top-5 pick, but he struggled almost immediately against top competition. The idea of Ament is a 6’10 wing with a dribble, pass, shoot skill set, but evaluators have rarely seen it this year as he’s struggled to adjust to the physicality of the game on a cramped floor with Tennessee. His finishing has been poor (57 percent at the rim), he has more turnovers than assists so far, and his shot (28 percent from three on 8.2 attempts per 100 possessions) needs a lot more work. Tennessee was always going to be a tough offensive context for him, and there’s still a talented player in here somewhere with the right strength training program and shooting development. He had a breakout game against Alabama recently with 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, and could be starting to earn back his reputation as a top prospect. This is probably his draft floor."

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