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The wait is over for Nate Ament.
Ament, who played only one season for Tennessee basketball, was selected with the 13th pick in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23.
The 6-foot-10, two-way forward had long been on the radar of NBA scouts. The former No. 4 player in the country was a projected lottery pick since his time at Highland High School in Manassas, Virginia.
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Ament earned All-SEC honors with the Vols in his only collegiate season. He averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 35 games. He shot just under 40% from the floor and 33.3% from 3-point range on four attempts.
Ament is the 11th player drafted into the NBA under Rick Barnes during his tenure at Tennessee. He’s the first lottery pick of the Barnes’ era and fifth first-rounder, joining Dalton Knecht (2024), Keon Johnson (2021), Jaden Springer (2021) and Grant Williams (2019).
Tennessee’s last lottery pick was Marcus Haislip, who also went 13th overall to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Nate Ament scouting report in 2026 NBA Draft
Opposing coaches often likened Ament to another former Rick Barnes player, Kevin Durant. The comparison holds up with a glance at their frames and skillsets.
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Ament, standing at a wiry 6-10 and continuing to add weight at 207 pounds, has all the tools to be a star at the next level. Tennessee regularly looked to the freshman to close games because of his ability to create his own shot.
He can rise up to shoot over smaller defenders and possesses a tight handle, granting him access to most areas of the floor.
Ament was a master at drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, where he shot 79% from 7.1 attempts per game. He knew how to weaponize the free throw line when other areas of his offensive game weren’t working and had eight games with double-digit attempts.
While Ament didn’t shy from physicality, it certainly bothered his offensive rhythm. In Tennessee’s win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 21, he…
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Publish date : 2026-06-24 01:31:00
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