Tennessee’s last-minute efforts to land five-star small forward Nate Ament paid off — the Volunteers just secured the highest-rated commitment in program history. On Sunday evening, Ament, the top uncommitted prospect in the country, announced his decision to choose Tennessee over schools like Duke, Louisville, Arkansas, Kentucky, and others.
BREAKING: Nate Ament, a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has committed to Tennessee, he told ESPN.
“Coach Barnes believes I’m a one-and-done player,” Ament said. “He’s done it before with Kevin Durant, and he thinks I have that same potential.”
Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 185 pounds, Ament is the No. 4 player in the 2025 class. He hails from Warrenton, Virginia, and becomes the seventh five-star recruit to commit to Rick Barnes at Tennessee — the first since Julian Phillips in 2022.
The Vols were in desperate need of backcourt and wing depth after losing Chaz Lanier, Jordan Gainey, Darlinstone Dubar, Jahmai Mashack, Igor Milicic, and Zakai Zeigler. Ament addresses that gap with his 6-foot-11 wingspan and strong ball-handling skills.
A projected lottery pick in 2026, Ament gives Rick Barnes a versatile piece who can play both forward positions.
He joins fellow 2025 commits: four-star guard Amari Evans, four-star center DeWayne Brown, and three-star guard Troy Henderson — a former AAU teammate of Ament. Tennessee has also added transfers Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Maryland) and Jaylen Carey (Vanderbilt).
Barnes is still targeting more guards, particularly shooters, to round out the roster. With Ament now in the fold, expect more moves soon.
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