Tennessee basketball's Nate Ament invited to 2026 NBA Draft green room in Brooklyn

Nate Ament, Tennessee's 6-foot-10 guard, has been invited to the 2026 NBA Draft green room in Brooklyn, listed among the first 14 invitees. He averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Volunteers and is widely projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. Ament battled through right leg injuries late in the season, including a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for two games, and he returned for the SEC Tournament. He posted 27 points in Tennessee’s tournament-opening win over Auburn, underscoring his scoring potential. Tennessee has had a player drafted in five consecutive years, the longest streak since the draft expanded to two rounds in 1989, with Ament the fifth one-and-done under coach Rick Barnes. He was the No. 4 prospect in Rivals’ industry ranking, choosing Tennessee over Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky and Louisville. Ament played at Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, and is the seventh five-star prospect to commit to Tennessee under Barnes, the first since 2022.