Nate Ament is one of the most unique prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft

NBA Draft evaluators are enamored with Nate Ament's upside but the player he is today can provide real value. The rising freshman is one of the most unique prospects in the draft.

If you told James Naismith in 1891 that 6-foot-9-inch players would be able to block a shot, dribble the ball up the court, throw it behind their back, and then launch a shot 30 feet away from the rim, he’d grab his soccer ball, take down his peach basket and call you crazy.

It’s been 135 years since Naismith invented basketball, and these plays have become normal to fans—we’re almost desensitized to them.

But that’s probably because we’ve seen them again…

And again…

And again.

These plays from Nate Ament, the subject of my latest scouting report, get scouts out of their seats, but are just the tip of the iceberg regarding his evaluation.

Ament is a 6-foot-9 forward who will be headed to Tennessee this fall to play under head coach Rick Barnes. Barnes notably coached another long, lanky, and talented freshman prospect at Texas in 2007.

Although people have, I won’t compare Ament to that all-time great, but he is one of the most talented and unique freshmen in college basketball. With key improvements, he can stake his claim as a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Sell

If I were pitching Ament to an NBA team, I’d start with his shooting ability, as it is the first thing that pops on tape. The forward has silky-smooth mechanics with a high release point that allows him to shoot over the top of close-outs.

He shot 38.5% from three in his pre-NCAA sample with a 39.4 three-point attempt rate and has shown the ability to hurt defenses on and off the ball. Ament is a confident shooter who is comfortable shooting early in the shot clock and far beyond the three-point lines of high school and college.

Ament has excellent touch—some of the best I’ve seen from the freshman class. When defenders are able to run him off the three-point line, he counters with dribble drives into fadeaway twos, or off-platform and unorthodox mid-range looks.

Ament’s touch from the mid-range and his career 83 percent from the charity stripe round out a firm shooting profile that has only improved over the last 18 months.

However, the Virginia Native is still making strides as a driver. This facet of his game is not as polished as his off-ball repertoire or in-between work. When Ament does win downhill, he does so with finesse and skill instead of force or outlier athleticism.

The forward has elasticity in his strides that would make Reed Richards proud, as well as excellent footwork, coordination, and touch around the rim.

The aspect of Ament’s offensive profile that has likely grown the most throughout his amateur career is his passing. Although he only averaged 2.2 assists in his senior season, he demonstrated a propensity to make simple reads, keep the ball moving, and weaponize his shooting gravity to get open looks for his teammates.

He’s excellent at grabbing rebounds (10.0 rebounds per game), pushing the pace in transition and finding teammates in stride.

In addition to his shooting, flashes of shot creation and additive passing, Ament is a stout defender. At 6-foot-9, with a rumored 6-foot-11 wingspan, he has positional size and length, allowing him to make an impact (1.6 STL, 2.4 BLKS per 40) as a help defender.

Despite his size, Ament is very mobile and covers a lot of ground. His gazelle-like strides and long arms are handy on defense when recovering at the rim or contesting a three-point shot.

I’d assume that Ament will likely function most as a weak-side defender, but what excites me—even more than the hesi-pulls in transition—are his flashes of switchability on the perimeter.

While watching his film from his senior year, his game against fellow top prospect Darryn Peterson stood out.

Down the stretch of their matchup, Ament took the challenge of guarding Peterson, who many regard as one of the best guard prospects of the last 15 years.

Not only did Ament take the challenge, but arguably won the matchup, en route to Highland’s upset win over Prolific Prep.

As with any sales pitch, there are limitations, and I’m sure interested teams would want to know the drawbacks of Ament’s profile. For all of his talent, it is fair to question how parts of his game will scale up to the college level.

Putting it all together

Ament’s frame is the most significant area of improvement for the rising freshman. He’ll be walking into the country's most unforgiving and physical conference, listed at 190 pounds, which is probably Tennessee being generous.

Ament’s lack of size hurts him the most as a driver. Defenders can often bump him off his spot and encourage him to take those tough 2’s. On top of his lack of strength, Ament doesn’t have great burst, wiggle, handle, or vertical pop.

It’s fair to question how his off-the-dribble shot creation and rim finishing through contact will look against players much stronger and more athletic than him.

I also think teams can find some success placing smaller guards and wings on Ament. His posture is pretty upright, and he doesn’t create much separation, which may prove problematic against players who want to get into his frame.

Ament will likely need time to gain weight and adjust to the SEC's physicality, which will help him make plays on both ends. Although he’s not the most physically imposing player, it‘s a good sign that he has a good motor on the glass and battles for offensive rebounds.

Outside of adding to his frame, Ament needs to be more assertive in games. He appears to be an unselfish player who can get his buckets in the flow of an offense, which is a positive trait, but sometimes he can stand to be a bit more intentional.

There were some games where it felt like he existed on the court instead of looking to get a bucket or make a play on defense. Although this is a minor worry, it is something to look out for during his time in Knoxville.

And there’s always the question of fit and opportunity. It’s paramount to choose a situation that is best for your long-term development.

Based on history, it’s fair to question how long a leash coach Barnes will give Ament, despite his pedigree, as the Volunteers will likely be contenders for the conference.

Barnes has publicly said that he views Ament as the best player in his class, but that could begin to matter less if the season wanes and he struggles. The Volunteers typically field a very experienced team and don’t have a reputation for churning out one-and-dones.

For Ament to reach his ceiling as a two-way shot-creating wing/forward, he’ll need to add to his frame, tighten his handle, improve as a playmaker, and work on finishing through contact.

But even if he doesn’t reach some of his projected outcomes, his shooting, rebounding, and defensive versatility can still allow him to make a substantial impact on NBA teams.