Tennessee Basketball's Nate Ament Receives New Projection Following NBA Lottery

Where Nate Ament is projected to land in the NBA Draft following the NBA Lottery.

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) dribbles while defended by Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise (0) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The NBA Lottery has officially concluded, and it is now time to see a real projection on where the talented college basketball prospects will land and should land. Reporters were quick to make their full mock drafts, including where Tennessee Volunteers forward and star player Nate Ament will be going.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo was one of the first to release his thoughts on the talented prospect and where he believes he will end up, as the talented reporter believes the star forward will be making his way to a team inside the top 10. The team he believes will be in the picture, and select Ament is the Milwaukee Bucks. Here is why.

Nate Ament - Selected by the Bucks (Pick 10)

Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) walks off the court as Michigan players celebrate their Final Four berth behind him after a NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game between Tennessee and Michigan at the United Center in Chicago on March 29, 2026. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Milwaukee had just a 3.1% chance of moving into the top four, requiring a scenario in which both New Orleans' pick and its own jumped in the lottery, which would have conveyed the worse of the two. The Bucks desperately need backcourt help but should be thinking best available, considering the uncertainty around the team's trajectory and with ownership wanting clarity on Giannis Antetokounmpo's future by draft night. While they don't control their own picks over the next few seasons, they could still be operating with a longer view if they opt to part ways with their franchise player," Woo stated.

Woo would continue on and detail how Nate Ament's stock has slipped since his early projections.

"While Ament's stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around Ament in the lottery. As a tall skill player with shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Antetokounmpo future, a malleable upside swing such as Ament could be a fit," Woo said.

If Ament can do a great job in the NBA, many teams will regret passing up on him. He has the chance to do a great job in the NBA, as he will likely begin his career as a role player, but he has the chance of being a key guy in the future for the program that drafts him. At this moment, it does seem that the Bucks are the best fit for him.