Tennessee
Nate Ament NBA mock draft projections with Tennessee basketball in March Madness
PHILADELPHIA – The 2026 NBA Draft will likely be loaded with standout freshmen, and Tennessee basketball is happy to claim one in Nate Ament.
The 6-foot-10 forward has arguably been the best player for the No. 6 seed Vols (22-11) heading into March Madness.
They’ll need him at his best to make a deep run in the men’s NCAA Tournament, which begins at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia against No. 11 Miami of Ohio (32-1) on March 20 (4:25 ET, TBS).
Ament has not declared for the NBA Draft, but the All-SEC forward is a projected lottery (top 14) pick. He could be Tennessee’s first lottery pick since Marcus Haislip went to the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 13 pick in 2002.
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Where is Nate Ament from?
Ament is from Manassas, Virginia, 35 miles west of Washington, D.C. He went to Highland High School and was a five-star prospect. He committed to Tennessee on April 20, 2025, choosing the Vols over offers from Texas, Louisville, Kentucky, Arkansas and Duke, among others.
How tall is Nate Ament?
Ament is 6-foot-10, 207 pounds. He’s added 20 pounds since arriving at Tennessee.
How old is Nate Ament?
Ament is 19 years old. He was born on Dec. 10, 2006.
Nate Ament stats for Tennessee basketball
Ament averaged 17.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals throughout 31 games. He shot 40.5% from the field and 33.1% from 3.
Nate Ament 2026 NBA Draft projection
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Ament’s NBA Draft projection has settled around the back half of the lottery. Draft analysts were initially concerned with Ament’s slow start, but his emergence throughout SEC play points to a higher professional ceiling.
USA TODAY’s Bryan Kalbrosky has the lowest current projection on Ament, slotting him at No. 11.
The Athletic, ESPN and CBS have the freshman going off the board at No. 9.
How did Nate Ament play this season?
Ament’s season, much like the Vols as a whole, has been marked with inconsistency. He started Tennessee’s non-conference schedule strong with six straight games scoring 15 or more points.
He hit an early wall against tougher competition, beginning with Houston where he shot 1-of-9 in a 76-73 win. In a nine-game stretch from the Houston win into early conference play, Ament averaged 11.9 points on 36% shooting, and shot 22% from 3.
Ament’s 17-point performance in the Vols’ 91-67 loss at Florida on Jan. 10 ignited a 13-game stretch where he was one of the top players in the country. He jumped up to 21.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Ament shot 43% from the field and 39% from 3-point range.
Ament’s progression slowed after Feb. 24 when he sprained his ankle in a loss to Missouri. He played briefly in the next game against Alabama before missing the final two games of the regular season. Ament returned in the SEC Tournament, where he lifted the Vols to victory over Auburn with 27 points, then had a 1-of-13 outing the next day in a loss to Vanderbilt.
What was Nate Ament’s injury?
In the first half of Tennessee’s game at Missouri on Feb. 24, Ament jumped up for a rebound and came down awkwardly on his right ankle. He left for a few minutes but finished the game.
The freshman started against Alabama on Feb. 28, but only played 11 minutes before injuring his knee and re-aggravating the ankle sprain in a loose ball scrum. Ament missed Tennessee’s final two regular season games at South Carolina and against Vanderbilt with a right high ankle sprain.
He returned against Auburn in the SEC Tournament on March 12. Ament led the Vols to a 20-0 run to beat the Tigers in the second round, 72-62. In the quarterfinals on March 13, though, Ament didn’t have the same success. His 12 points included 10 free throws in a 75-68 loss to Vanderbilt.
Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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Tennessee baseball will look to salvage the final game of the SEC series against Ole Miss.
The Vols (25-14, 7-10 SEC) play Game against the No. 23 Rebels (29-11, 10-7) on April 19 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Ole Miss has been on a roll. The 8-1 win on April 18 against the Vols moved the Rebels to eight straight wins. It got an ace-level start from Cade Townsend and a grand slam from Tristan Bissetta to secure Game 2.
Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA) will start for the Rebels. Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound for Tennessee.
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss live updates
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss on today?
- TV channel: SEC Network+
- Live stream: ESPN app
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss game times
- Game 3: April 19 (1 p.m. ET)
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss probable pitchers
- Tennessee: LHP Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA)
- Ole Miss: RHP Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Tennessee Volunteers baseball team dropped game two to Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon, 8-1. The Rebels clinch the series, the first time Ole Miss has won a series in Knoxville since 2016.
A bright spot for the Vols was Tegan Kuhns who threw 5.2 innings not allowing a run, striking out 10 batters on five hits.
Cam Appenzeller picked up his first loss of the season coming in out of the bullpen for Kuhns. The SEC Freshman of the Week did not have a great outing. Appenzeller went 2.1 innings giving up six earned runs.
Tennessee escaped a shutout as Trent Grindlinger hit a solo home run in the ninth inning. Grindlinger’s home run was one of Tennessee’s two hits on the night.
The Volunteers look to avoid the series sweep as theY round out the series with Ole Miss on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on the SEC Network+.
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Tennessee (25-13, 7-9 SEC) will continue a three-game home baseball series on Saturday. The Vols will host No. 23 Ole Miss (28-11, 9-7 SEC) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Ole Miss won Game 1 on Friday, 7-4.
Saturday’s Game 2 was scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT. Due to possible inclement weather on Saturday, first pitch for Game 2 will take place at 4 p.m. EDT.
“Due to the chance of inclement weather tomorrow night, tomorrow’s game versus Ole Miss will now start at 4 p.m. EDT,” Tennessee announced on Friday.
Below is how to watch information for Saturday’s Tennessee-Ole Miss Game 2.
What channel is Tennessee versus Ole Miss baseball on?
- TV channel: SEC Network+
- Livestream: Watch live on SECN+
- Announcers: Myan Patel (play-by-play) and Cody Hawn (analyst)
Watch Tennessee baseball live
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