Nate Ament knows he’s not a finished product. And for a bunch of NBA teams hunting for a lottery pick in the 2026 draft, that’s actually the selling point.
The Tennessee forward sat down with ESPN Andscape’s Marc J. Spears recently and laid out his pitch to front offices. It wasn’t the usual “I’m ready to contribute day one” stuff. Ament went a different direction.
“I think that there’s definitely a lot of room to grow,” Ament said. “I think that’s another reason why the team I get drafted by is huge because they’re gonna have a huge imprint on the player I become. Me as a player, I feel like I’m so imprintable. I can learn so many different things, pick up so many different things.”
That word — imprintable — is doing a lot of work. He’s basically telling teams: draft me, mold me, and I’ll be whatever you need. It’s a smart pitch for a guy who’s been called the biggest mystery in this draft class by ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
Ament spent one season at Tennessee under Rick Barnes. He started all 35 games, playing 29 minutes a night. The numbers were solid: 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a steal per game. His shooting splits were 39.9 percent from the field, 33.3 from three and 79 percent from the free-throw line.
Those percentages aren’t eye-popping. But the package — size, length, feel for the game — has teams looking past the efficiency numbers. They see a 19-year-old who played heavy minutes in the SEC and held his own. They see room to grow.
Which Teams Are Looking at Ament?
According to Siegel, the list of interested teams includes the Milwaukee Bucks, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets. That’s a mix of contenders and rebuilders, which tells you something. Teams that need a piece now and teams that can afford to be patient both want a look.
The Bucks and Clippers are trying to win now. The Mavericks are figuring out life after Luka. The Nets are collecting assets. Ament could fit into any of those timelines depending on who you ask.
There’s also talk that a team outside the lottery might trade up to grab him. If a front office believes they can shape him into something specific, paying a premium to move up makes sense. That kind of draft-day maneuvering isn’t unusual for a player who’s more projection than proven product.
Ament played forward at Tennessee. He’s got the frame to guard multiple positions and the offensive game to create mismatches. He’s not a shooter yet, not consistently. But the tools are there.
The 2026 draft isn’t considered loaded at the top. That works in Ament’s favor. In a class where teams are reaching for potential, a guy who’s openly saying “I’m clay, mold me” could sneak into the lottery or just outside it.
Either way, he’s confident he’ll figure it out. And he’s betting one of these teams will think the same.
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