Five-star wing Nate Ament officially signed with Tennessee basketball on Monday night just a day after the blue-chip prospect committed to Rick Barnes and his staff.
The seventh five-star and highest rated signee of Rick Barnes’ tenure, Ament chose Tennessee over a top group that included Arkansas, Gonzaga, Kentucky and Louisville.
“We are ecstatic to welcome Nate Ament and his fantastic family to Rocky Top,” Barnes said in a statement. “While everyone is aware of just how special a player Nate is, what really drew us to him throughout the recruiting process was the type of person he is. Nate is a high-character, family-oriented young man with a tremendous, caring support system around him who will mesh with our program from day one. He brings a dynamic skill set to the hardwood, embodying the attributes of a modern basketball player.”
Ament ranks as a five-star recruit and the No. 4 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. A Warrenton native, Ament ranks as the top player in the state of Virginia and the No. 1 power forward in the 2025 cycle.
While recruiting services peg Ament as a power forward, the 6-foot-9 prospect will play more on the perimeter than he will inside. Ament will likely start at the three-spot for the Vols while having the capability of playing as a stretch four.
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Ament is a highly skilled wing who can shoot and handle the basketball far better than most his size can. That size, skillset and athleticism is why Ament projects as a top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
“Standing out with next-level positional size, he possesses the rare combination of the ability to dribble, pass and shoot with confidence and precision,” Barnes said. “Nate has a strong basketball IQ to go along with an excellent pairing of skill and toughness. He’s the kind of versatile talent who can impact the game in a variety of ways and, in our eyes, he was the No. 1 player in the class. We are thrilled to have him in orange.”
Tennessee twice hosted Ament on visits during his recruitment. He first came to Knoxville for an official visit in October, the same weekend that the Volunteer football team faced Alabama. Ament returned to Knoxville in January for an unofficial visit when Vol hoops faced Kentucky.
The Vols seemingly fell out of the picture in Ament’s recruitment late in the winter and early in spring when Duke and Louisville emerged as the top contenders to land the five-star. But Tennessee upped its effort and financial commitment to land Ament after its season ended in the Elite Eight for the second straight season. In the end, Barnes and his staff were able to beat out Duke and other suitors to land the top five recruit.
With Ament in the fold, Tennessee now has three scholarships to work with as they put together its roster for its 2025-26 season. The Vols have landed four prep players with Henderson as well as four-star Amari Evans and four-star DeWayne Brown already signing with Tennessee.
Tennessee has also landed Maryland point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Vanderbilt power forward Jaylen Carey out of the transfer portal. They’ve also hosted Maryland shooting guard Rodney Rice on a visit. Finding a shooting guard or two is now the most important area for the Vols as they look to round out their roster.
