April 22, 2026, 5:07 a.m. ET
- Tennessee basketball freshman Nate Ament is a projected lottery choose for the 2026 NBA Draft.
- Ament has till April 24 to declare for the draft and till May 27 to determine whether or not to keep within the draft or return to school.
- Draft projections for Ament fluctuate, with some analysts inserting him within the high 10 and others exterior the lottery.
- Ament averaged 16.7 factors and 6.3 rebounds per recreation throughout his freshman season, although an ankle damage affected his last month.
All eyes are fixated on Tennessee basketball’s standout freshman Nate Ament.
The projected lottery choose has but to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. Ament is anticipated to be a part of the loaded class, headlined by numerous high freshmen.
Following the Vols’ Elite Eight loss to Michigan, an emotional Ament laid out his plans.
“Talking to my coaches and my circle and see what the next step’s going to be,” he mentioned on March 29.
Here are some dates to watch for Nate Ament’s NBA draft timeline.
NBA draft deadlines
Ament has till 11:59 p.m. on April 24 to declare for the NBA draft earlier than the early entry participant window closes.
The All-SEC freshman can nonetheless preserve his school eligibility, suspending a last determination till May 27. He might both stay within the draft class and forgo his eligibility, or return to Tennessee for his sophomore season.
The NBA draft is break up into two nights. The first spherical takes place on June 23, and the second spherical is on June 24.
Nate Ament NBA draft inventory
Ament entered his freshman season at Tennessee with elevated draft expectations. The 6-foot-10 five-star highschool recruit was the No. 4 participant within the nation within the 247Sports Composite.
When wholesome, Ament has lived up to the hype. He shares a draft class different proficient forwards, like BYU’s AJ Dybansta, Arizona’s Koa Peat, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg. Still, his inventory all through SEC play and the postseason floated between the center and finish of the lottery.
ESPN has Ament inside the highest 10 at No. 9, whereas Yahoo Sports slots him at No. 10 in its most up-to-date mock draft. Other analysts, although, have wavered and positioned him nearer to exterior of the lottery. Both USA TODAY’S Bryan Kalbrosky and Sports Illustrated launched mocks with Ament at No. 15.
Nate Ament stats for Tennessee basketball
Ament’s freshman season fluctuated closely. He averaged 16.7 factors on 39.9% taking pictures from the ground, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals. He bought off to a quick begin towards non-power convention opponents, then hit a wall with subpar taking pictures performances towards Houston, Kansas, Syracuse and Illinois.
Ament solidified his stature as a high participant within the nation as soon as he bought to SEC play. For a big stretch, the freshman averaged 21.6 factors whereas taking pictures 43% from the ground and 39% from 3.
An ankle damage marred his last month of motion. Ament had to sit within the last two video games of the common season, and it was arduous for him to catch a rhythm within the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
He led the Vols to an SEC Tournament win over Auburn with 27 factors, and helped them seize a 3rd straight Elite Eight berth with 18 factors in a win over Iowa State.
Wynton Jackson covers highschool sports activities for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
Support sturdy native journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
