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New York Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tennessee basketball commit Nate Ament credits his talents to his family — and his first love
PORTLAND, Ore. — Now that Nate Ament has committed to play basketball next season at Tennessee, tipping the Vols' 2025-26 roster from good to great, elated fans should seriously consider sending a thank you note to his older brother Frederick. Twenty-year-old Frederick can't take credit for Nate's 6-foot-9 height or his skill set (the forward is ranked No. 4 in the 2025 class). But he is the one who first convinced Nate to consider leaving soccer behind in favor of basketball. And now, Tennessee is set to reap the benefits of that switch. Advertisement When Ament committed on April 20 to Rick Barnes and the Vols, it catapulted Tennessee up the team recruiting rankings, from No. 41 to No. 13, according to 247Sports. He is the highest-ranked recruit in Vols history, a coup of sorts for Barnes given that Duke and Louisville were thought to be Ament's front-runners (he was also considering Arkansas and Kentucky). Specifics of Ament's NIL deal at Tennessee aren't public. He signed an NIL deal with Reebok as a high schooler and signed an NIL equity deal with Fanstake, which allows fans to invest in the recruitment of prospects. A post shared by Nate Ament (@ament_nate) Is Nate's position as a potential future NBA lottery pick with his long, lean frame, smooth jumper and tremendous upside all due to … his big brother? Nate sighed dramatically before dipping his chin to his chest. He'd just played 11 minutes in the esteemed Nike Hoop Summit, an annual showcase event where dozens of league general managers and front office executives scout the next generation of NBA talent. He'd dished two assists, grabbed a rebound and blocked a shot in his limited time, a glimpse at his ability to impact a game even if he's not scoring, as the U.S. beat the World Team 124-114 in overtime. 'It hurts my pride to give him too much credit,' Nate acknowledged, obviously reluctant. 'But, yeah. I wanted to follow in his footsteps.' Frederick guffawed at the idea that he's responsible for his little brother's meteoric rise through the high school basketball ranks. Then he gave a big smile. He's OK with getting credit so long as everyone understands that in soccer, big brother is still superior. Soccer was the first love for all four Ament boys growing up in Warrenton, Va., about an hour outside Washington D.C. Oldest brother Manny Ament, now 27, played the sport at Division-III Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., 20 miles north of Richmond. When they were little, the boys' soccer schedules overlapped so much the Ament parents had to build an elaborate spreadsheet showing which child needed to be dropped off (and picked up) where and when, and even then, the boys wanted to tag along to each other's practices. They couldn't get enough. They are a house divided when it comes to professional soccer allegiances, with various members of the family rooting for (in alphabetical order) Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. All this despite the fact that dad Al Ament is one of the best basketball players in Division-II Wayne State (Mich.) program history, a school hall of famer whose name still peppers the Wayne State record books. Advertisement But soccer is in their family history, too. Mom Godelive Mukankuranga, a native of Rwanda, went to secondary school in Italy, where fútbol is king. And Al worked for a time in the Peace Corps in Africa, where soccer is beloved. When he sprouted to 6 feet 2 around 10 years old, Nate wondered what a future in soccer would look like. But he loved the sport so much, he couldn't imagine giving it up. Then, at 11, his parents missed the signup deadline for youth soccer. Practically inconsolable, Nate perked up when Frederick, older by two years, had a suggestion: Come play basketball with me instead. Nate fell hard, and fast, for hoops. At night in their shared bedroom, Nate and Frederick would hold dunk contests on their small Nerf hoop, throwing down over each other. When they heard their parents' footsteps on the stairs, they'd go scurrying back to their beds and pretend to be asleep, 'thinking we'd fake them out, as if we weren't shaking the whole house,' Frederick recalled, laughing. Mused Al: 'This is very confessional.' Often, Nate would grab a basketball and head around the corner to the local elementary school, telling his parents, 'I'm going to go work on my craft.' Frederick usually tagged along. When Nate hit 6 feet 7 as a ninth grader, Al officially 'retired' from basketball, so he didn't have to deal with the humiliation of being smoked in one-on-one by his youngest son. Nate, who has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant because of his lanky frame, still can't quite believe he became a basketball star, even though, in hindsight, he might have had no other choice. 'It's definitely crazy, I never thought I'd be who I am today,' said Nate, who started as a defender in soccer and eventually moved to forward, where he could control the pace of the game. 'Basketball was kind of gradual. Once you get to a certain height, you're just too tall to play soccer.' Advertisement Still, he said there are 'absolutely' things he learned on the pitch that have translated to the court. 'In soccer, you see the field with your footwork and now in basketball, you always know where your feet are,' he said, explaining that the quick decision-making necessary in soccer has helped him immensely in basketball, particularly when he's leading a fast break. 'The speed of soccer and the speed of basketball,' he said, 'they fit perfectly together.' Frank Bennett of Chaminade College Prep, who coached Nate during the Hoop Summit, agrees. 'When you look at a kid like Nate, who's 6-foot-9, 6-foot-10 and has incredible footwork, you're not surprised hearing about his soccer background,' Bennett said. 'He moves extremely well with and without the ball, and typically guys his size don't move like that.' Though soccer was always the boys' first choice, Nate's decision to focus on basketball didn't ever make him feel like the black sheep of the family. It didn't matter what the Ament boys were playing — soccer, basketball, football or anything else — it was endless games of two-on-two. 'We're all competitors,' Nate said. 'We all followed our oldest brother, Manny. He instilled that competitive edge in us. When I played with them, it wasn't really much of a competition — they would just bully me around because I was so much younger.' That's changed. But the bond with his brothers, especially Frederick, hasn't. In Warrenton, Nate trains at the local gym where Frederick, who lives at home while attending George Mason, works. They'll play pickup together before Frederick's shift starts, tossing lobs to one another and creating their own Ament family highlight reel. When he goes on the clock, Frederick has to focus on all the gym's clients. Theoretically, at least. Asked if he took the job so he could be paid to play hoops with his younger brother, Frederick responded by deadpanning, 'Is my boss going to see this story?' At the Hoop Summit, lots of people had questions about when, exactly, Nate planned to pledge his collegiate allegiance. His USA teammates badgered him with questions and their own recruiting pitches, anxious to add him to their signee class. Bennett overheard many of these conversations, a testament, he said, to Nate's 'magnetic' personality. Advertisement Turns out, anyone who wanted a timeline for Nate's decision should have just asked Frederick. When his mom said she wasn't sure when Nate would decide, Frederick piped up. Nate will make a decision within two weeks, he clarified, which prompted Godelive to laugh. 'I guess he knows more than me! I'm learning, too!' In a surprise to no one, Nate told Frederick before anyone else that he'd landed on Tennessee. He was drawn to playing for Barnes, who coached one of the best one-and-done players of all time in Durant. He wanted a coach who would develop him for the next level and let him play through mistakes. He doesn't want to be benched every time he screws up. And he's excited to work full-time with a trainer who can help him add 12-15 pounds of muscle to his wiry, 185-pound frame. Part of his choice also came from seeing how Tennessee's roster fluctuated in the offseason — the Vols lost seven players to graduation and picked a veteran guard and forward in the portal. There's plenty of room for Nate to contribute from day one. It helps, too, that Knoxville is just an hour flight from home. The Aments are planning a family trip to Rwanda this summer, before Nate enrolls in school. Nate has visited Rwanda twice before and wants to learn more about his family history. (Most of Godelive's family, including her mother, and three siblings, were killed in the Rwandan Civil War in spring 1994; Godelive was in school in Italy at the time.) The custom Reeboks Nate wears are an homage to his mother's homeland, with light blue, yellow and green the colors of the Rwandan flag. He's hopeful this summer he can run some sort of camp in Rwanda for little kids — maybe soccer, maybe basketball, maybe both. 'I definitely want to give back to the community, both Rwanda and Italy,' he said. 'Both hold a special place in my heart.' Advertisement Soccer, he said, made him who he is. And even now that he's made his college choice, it will always play a role in his life. He's not sure he'll be allowed to play intramural soccer at Tennessee — what if he got hurt? — but said he'll 'try to get back and play with my friends, kick it around, whenever I can. I miss it for sure.' There's always the virtual option, too. The days of driveway hoops and backyard soccer might be (mostly) over for the Ament boys, but they've still got their gaming consoles, where FIFA is always the go-to. And in that arena, Frederick wins nearly every time. 'He is better than me,' Nate said. Then he groaned. 'Don't tell him I said that.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nate Ament commits to Tennessee basketball as highest-ranked recruit in Vols history
Nate Ament committed to Tennessee basketball and Rick Barnes on April 20 as the highest-rated prospect in Vols history. The 6-foot-9, 185-pound forward is a five-star recruit and the No. 4 prospect in the 247Sports Composite. He picked Tennessee over Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky and Louisville. Advertisement "After a lot of thought and prayer, I'm blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Tennessee!" Ament wrote on Instagram. "I'm incredibly grateful to all the coaches and programs who took the time to recruit me. Huge thanks to everyone who's helped me get to this point — my family, coaches, teammates, and most importantly, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Ament, who plays at Highland School in Warrenton, Virginia, visited Tennessee on Jan. 28 for its game against Kentucky at Food City Center. He took an official visit to UT for the Alabama football game on Oct. 19. Barnes visited Ament on April 14 as the Vols coach worked to close the recruitment. Ament is the fourth player to commit to the Vols in the 2025 class. Advertisement Tennessee signed four-star forward DeWayne Brown II and four-star guard Amari Evans in November. Three-star guard Troy Henderson signed in April. Henderson played AAU basketball with Ament in summer 2024 for Team Loaded 17U. Ament is the seventh five-star prospect to commit to Tennessee under Barnes and the first since the 2022 class. Josiah-Jordan James was the first five-star prospect for Barnes in Knoxville when he signed in the 2019 class. Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer signed in the 2020 class. THE WORD: What Nate Ament brings to Tennessee basketball as five-star commit: 'He's a pro' Advertisement Kennedy Chandler and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield signed as five-star recruits in the 2021 class. Julian Phillips was the sixth in the 2022 class. Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @ If you enjoy Mike's coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Nate Ament: Tennessee basketball lands as five-star forward
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
No. 4 College Basketball Recruit Reacts to Big Tennessee Announcement
The Tennessee Volunteers' bid for a national championship fell short when they lost in the Elite Eight round of the men's NCAA Tournament to the Houston Cougars, which was their second loss in as many years in that round of March Madness. But there is reason for Volunteers fans to be hopeful for next season. A number of promising players have committed to the team from the transfer portal, including power forward Jaylen Carey and guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie. Advertisement On Monday, Tennessee took another step toward possibly going further in next year's NCAA Tournament. It signed Nate Ament, a five-star high school recruit from Virginia. Ament reacted to the news on Instagram with a house emoji. He's a 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward who averaged 19.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season as a high school senior at Highland School, a program he led to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I state title. He also represented the United States last year in the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship and earned a gold medal. Advertisement Ament is considered to be someone with a relatively high ceiling due to his raw scoring skills and ample athleticism. As a result, he's been ranked as one of the top three or four recruits in the nation this year. Apr 1, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Nate Ament (10) dribbles the ball against McDonald's All American West guard Mikel Brown Jr. (11) during the second half of the game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images© Pamela Smith-Imagn Images He said that Rick Barnes, who will be his coach at Tennessee, feels he can make it to the NBA very soon. "Coach Barnes sees me as a one-and-done type player," Ament said. "He has done it before with Kevin Durant. He sees me as that kind of guy for his program. I built a great relationship with the coaching staff. I trust them a lot, and they have big goals for me. I think they'll do a great job of developing me as a player and a young man. I trust the coaches to help me get to the next level." Advertisement Ament reportedly had offers from Duke and Kentucky among other schools, but in the end, he opted to wear Tennessee orange this fall. Related: Former Four-Star Recruit Makes Transfer Portal Decision After Leaving Rick Pitino
NBC Sports
22-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Tennessee signs top-five prep recruit Nate Ament to polish up Rick Barnes' latest class
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Rick Barnes announced the signing of Nate Ament to the 2025 class, making the small forward the third top five prep recruit to sign with the Volunteers. The forward from Manassas, Virginia, ranked fourth nationally by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals joins Tobias Harris in 2010 and Allan Houston in 1989 in a rare group for Tennessee signees. On3 ranks Ament, the 2024-2025 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year, as the nation's No. 3 player overall, and Ament already is considered a lottery pick for the 2026 NBA draft. Barnes, who shut down talk of possible retirement during the NCAA Tournament, said Monday he was ecstatic to welcome Ament to Rocky Top. Barnes said. '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. '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.' Ament also was a McDonald's All-American. He also has experience playing for the U.S. national program in the Nike Hoop Summitt on April 12 in Oregon. He was part of the team that won gold in Argentina at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in June 2024. He also took part in the men's junior national team minicamp in April 2024. He had Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky and Louisville among his final options. He also had offers from Alabama, BYU, Georgetown, Kansas State, Notre Dame and Texas. Ament joins Troy Henderson, his AAU teammate, in the Vols' 2025 signee class that includes DeWayne Brown II and Amari Evans. Tennessee also has two transfers signed in Jaylen Carey from Vanderbilt and Ja'Kobi Gillespie from Maryland.
Washington Post
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Tennessee signs 5-star forward Nate Ament to polish up Rick Barnes' latest class
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Rick Barnes announced the signing of Nate Ament to the 2025 class, making the small forward the third top five prep recruit to sign with the Volunteers. The forward from Manassas, Virginia, ranked fourth nationally by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals joins Tobias Harris in 2010 and Allan Houston in 1989 in a rare group for Tennessee signees. On3 ranks Ament, the 2024-2025 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year, as the nation's No. 3 player overall, and Ament already is considered a lottery pick for the 2026 NBA draft.
