The highest-ranked unsigned senior in the country is officially off the board, as Nate Ament committed to the University of Tennessee. The 6’9” forward chose Tennessee over his other top suitors, which included Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville, and Duke. Aside from Tennessee, Duke and Louisville were the other two schools that seemed most likely to land Ament. The recruitment between these three was quite the battle; Ament originally planned to commit on April 1st, but pushed back his commitment date to allow himself more time.
All of these schools heavily recruited Ament. Coming into April 1st, Louisville was seen as the early favorite for Ament. However, not even a pitch from Louisville legend Donovan Mitchell and the opportunity to play with five-star guard Mikel Brown Jr swayed Ament. Duke has an incredible program and “the brotherhood”, while Arkansas head coach John Calipari has proven how talented he is at turning recruits into NBA draft prospects year after year. Ultimately, Tennessee won out, and as the highest-ranked player in Tennessee’s recruiting class, it’s clear why Ament’s commitment means so much to the Volunteers.
The 6’9” Ament is a late bloomer, but has so much potential on the basketball court. His talent is raw, but this past season for Highland High School in Virginia, Ament averaged 19.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He was named Gatorade High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year for the state of Virginia and led Highland to a state championship.
Ament came onto the scene later in high school, when he sprouted from 6’4” to 6’9” in his junior year. He racked up dozens of offers at Highland and played for Team Loaded VA on the 3SSB circuit. His handle and turnover rate could use some work, but his shooting, shot-blocking, footwork, and passing are all elite and would greatly benefit any team in the country.
