The college basketball offseason is in full swing. Teams across the country are rebuilding their rosters through the transfer portal, with Tennessee basketball no exception. After a third-straight Elite Eight run, Rick Barnes and company are looking to field a roster that can break through to the Final Four.
A key domino for the Vols’ roster is yet to fall, though. The expectation is still that freshman phenom Nate Ament will declare for the 2026 NBA Draft, but he’s yet to announce a decision. While UT fans hold their breath and hope for a return, On3 college sports insider Pete Nakos dropped an interesting tidbit.
During an appearance on FanRun’s The Drive, Nakos discussed what he’s hearing about Ament’s pending decision.
“I can confidently say that if Nate isn’t a lottery pick, Tennessee is extremely well-positioned to get him back next season,” Nakos said. “I guess the question, something that only Nate can answer, is what is the lowest he’s willing to go in the NBA Draft?”
On3’s Pete Nakos dropped a BOMB regarding Nate Ament’s future while on The Drive 🍊
“I can confidently say that if Nate isn’t a lottery pick: Tennessee is extremely well-position to get him back next season,” said Nakos. “I guess the question, something that only Nate can… pic.twitter.com/GMrwL6Kx68
Advertisement— FOX Sports Knoxville (@FOXSportsKnox) April 15, 2026
More From RTI: Where Tennessee Wing Nate Ament Lands In ESPN’s Latest NBA Draft Big Board
According to NBA mock drafts that were released as the season wound down, Ament seems to be in a position to be selected in those first 14 picks, though. Bleacher Report, Yahoo and Tankathon all had him as high as No. 8. The lowest was Sports Illustrated, which had him at No. 12.
Ament showed his upside during the course of last season, though he did have to battle through injury heading into the postseason. The 6-foot-10 wing finished with 16.7 points per game on 39.9% shooting from the field and 33.3% from range. He also contributed 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest.
For now, the Vols are stacking up talent in the anticipation that Ament will not return. So far, that’s meant landing four significant transfers with more still on the board. Belmont’s Tyler Lundblade, Cal’s Dai Dai Ames, Loyola (Chicago)’s Miles Rubin and Notre Dame’s Jalen Haralson have all committed.
