The Tennessee Volunteers are expected to be well represented when it comes to the NBA Draft, as one of their top players is set to be selected early in the first round. That player is Nate Ament, who is one of the best freshmen in Tennessee history. He received a major projection recently that could be an indicator of where he could be selected in the coming days.
“The Bulls worked out Ament earlier this month, according to league sources. And though Chicago already has a number of tall, skilled forwards — Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and Noa Essengue — there’s no harm in adding another one. 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. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament,” Yahoo Sports stated.
Ament finished his freshman season with an average of 16.7 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. This was solid, as he was one of the top stars to lead the Vols to the Elite Eight, which they would later lose to the eventual March Madness winners, Michigan.
Ament is someone who could be a star at the next level, but the team that drafts him will need to have patience. This is the case because there are still areas that will need to be polished, and a team like Chicago has time to wait it out. They aren’t in a win-now season, and they will have the chance to build towards the future.
The NBA Draft is set to begin on Tuesday, with coverage resuming for the second round on Wednesday. On night one, the Vols will likely have only one player selected, but when night two comes around, the Vols could add to that total.
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