The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, June 23, at 8 p.m. ET. The expectation is that Tennessee basketball star Nate Ament will hear his name called in the first half as a lottery pick, as well.
According to Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor’s mock draft of the first round, published a day ahead of the draft, Ament is slotted as the No. 10 pick. This would send him to the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, it’s worth noting that this mock draft was published prior to the blockbuster trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo last night. The forward was sent to the Miami Heat, shaking up the direction of both franchises. This could make taking a high-ceiling prospect like Ament make even more sense, though.
We’re one day away from the 2026 NBA Draft and .@KevinOConnor has his final projections for draft night 🔮🏀 pic.twitter.com/U8TjvFlZoD
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“Depending on what Milwaukee receives, the front office could look to move up from this choice,” O’Connor wrote before the Antetokounmpo trade. “But if they stay put, Ament is considered a likely target to start building the post-Giannis foundation. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country.”
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.
Ament is the only Vol listed in this first-round mock draft. However, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara are also expected to come off the board as second-round picks. The second round will be held on Wednesday, June 24, at 8 p.m. ET.
