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 Miami Heat in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23. However, his rights were then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Ament wore a hat with a Heat logo on the draft stage, but as a result of the Heat acquiring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade, the Bucks selected Ament.
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.
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).
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Tennessee’s last lottery pick was Marcus Haislip, who also went 13th overall to the 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.
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.
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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 scored 13 points on 3-of-13 shooting as the Commodores did everything they could to knock him off his spots.
A key area of growth for Ament in the NBA will be his 33% mark from 3-point range. He’ll be expected to make more long range shots on a higher volume, especially as he adds more weight to play inside the paint.
Defensively, Ament is a solid defensive rebounder and has the length to become one of the better defenders in the league. Tennessee didn’t ask him to defend the rim alongside Felix Okpara, but he could bother close shots with his near 7-foot wingspan and explosive vertical leap.
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Nate Ament stats with Tennessee basketball
Ament hit an early wall in his freshman season once the Vols began playing their tougher non-conference opponents. He struggled with poor shooting performances all at or under 33% against Houston, Kansas, Syracuse and Illinois.
He turned his season around during conference play, starting with Florida. Despite the embarrassing 91-67 loss, Ament scored 17 points of 5-of-11 shooting and went 2-of-4 from 3.
The success against the Gators kicked off a 12-game stretch where Ament averaged 22 points per game and led the Vols to a 9-3 record. He bumped against his career-high of 29 points three times against Alabama, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
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Ament suffered an ankle injury that forced him to sit out the final two games of the regular season. His postseason performances oscillated between a 27-point burst in his return game against Auburn in the SEC Tournament to a scoreless outing against Miami (Ohio) in the March Madness opener.
Ament rebounded after the Miami (Ohio) win with 16 and 18-point games against Virginia and Iowa State. He went 2-of-12 with seven points in the Elite Eight against Michigan.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: The Milwaukee Bucks select Tennessee basketball’s Nate Ament in 2026 NBA Draft
