Nate Ament to Bucks, Watch Highlights of No. 13 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
One of the top freshmen in college basketball last season is on his way to the NBA after being drafted on Tuesday.
Nate Ament, who starred in his sole season at Tennessee, was drafted 13th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. The 13th pick was one of many that the Bucks received after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat on Monday.
Ament, the No. 4 overall player in the class of 2025, averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Vols as they reached their third consecutive Elite Eight.
In his scouting report of Ament, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compared the young player to Will Riley. We haven't seen much of Riley yet, but he averaged 10.3 points per game as a rookie, which is a solid start for the 20-year-old.
Ament joined Tennessee with high expectations, and it's fair to say that he didn't exactly live up to those expectations early on. He struggled through the first few months of the season and at the start of SEC play, but things started to click in the second half of the year and he ended up putting together a respectable campaign.
Ament's measureables at the NBA combine perhaps increased his draft stock, as he measured in at 6'9 1/2" with a 6'11 1/2" wingspan.
Ament isn't quite as polished as some of the top players in this year's draft, but his size and skill make him an intriguing prospect. The Bucks will look to tap into his potential and turn him into a serviceable NBA player.
