Tennessee’s Nate Ament Finding Momentum in 2026 NBA Draft Class

Tennessee wing Nate Ament is re-finding his groove.

Tennessee forward Nate Ament (10) rests his hands on his knees during a NCAA basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Auburn Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 31, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nate Ament came into his likely lone season with Tennessee under immense pressure to succeed.

He was the program’s top-rated recruit of all time, boasting a modern skillset packed within a lengthy 6-foot-10 frame. Additionally, he was penciled in as the No. 4 pick on 2026 NBA Draft night for scouts and pundits alike, following only the top-tier trio of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.

He got off to a fine start with the Vols, averaging nearly 20 points per game across his first four contests, doing so while shooting just 22% on the arc, pointing to real jump-shooting and foul-drawing value. Even more, he added nine rebounds per game, a small concern given his slighter build. 

From there, he’d would see some slippage, offering up one of the rougher eight-game stretches for a prospect this cycle. He would dip to 13 points per game, doing so on 33% shooting from the field. He struggled to create his own shots, and even saw his boards and other hustle stats wane.

While Tennessee played a tough non-conference schedule — featuring Houston, Kansas, Illinois and more — several thought SEC play might make things even worse for Ament.

Instead, he’s started to button up his game, looking more comfortable in his role and showing growth overall. 

Across his first eight SEC games, Ament has averaged 18.5 points, shooting 43% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. He’s managed some defensive impact in those games, too, nabbing 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

On Tuesday, he put together one of the best performances of his young career, going for a team-high 27 points on efficient 9-for-15 shooting, hitting two of his four attempted triples. Tennessee would blow out Ole Miss, helped by Ament’s all around game with six boards and four assists. 

Ament still has an uphill battle ahead to show team’s he’s worth gambling on in the 2026 draft lottery. But his pathway to NBA success, with length and perimeter prowess, is starting to become more clear. His confidence is beginning to boost his scoring, at 24.5 points in his last four games.

For now, his draft stock is still somewhat murky, with some valuing his bigger body of work as one of the top prospects in the class, and others unable to look past some shaky collegiate assimilation. Regardless, he'll be a player to monitor as March nears, and players continue to go under the microscope.