Nate Ament, of Manassas, entered his senior basketball season at the Highland School in Warrenton last fall as the No. 4-ranked college recruit in the country.
After leading the Hawks to a state championship, earning several individual honors and playing in multiple postseason all-star games, he more than lived up to the hype he garnered at Highland.
Following months of recruiting visits, coach meetings, workouts, internal reflection and contemplating the options, Ament finally announced his decision to commit to the University of Tennessee on April 20.
Tennessee finished 30-8 and reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament last season, and Ament has his sights set on guiding the Volunteers to another strong season next year before likely turning to the 2026 NBA Draft, where he’s already projected as a potential top pick.
So, here are six things to know about Nate Ament as he gets ready to head to Knoxville and, eventually, the NBA.
1. He’s got an NBA future. As the No. 4-ranked player in his class, according to ESPN, Ament is also being looked at as a top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft. Scouts like the combination of his size, athleticism and talent, as seen in an ESPN mock draft from Feb. 26, where Ament was selected with the fourth overall pick.
Ament’s NBA potential played an important factor in his decision, he said. “I just want to maximize my college experience with player development, become the best player I can be.”
2. He’s excited to play for coach Rick Barnes. Barnes, 70, has been the Volunteers’ coach since 2015. He has area roots, beginning his coaching career at George Mason in the 1980s before spending the bulk of it at Texas.
3. He won a state title at Highland and wants to win a national championship at Tennessee. Ament scored a game-high 24 points and collected 18 rebounds in the Hawks’ 56-51 overtime win over Bishop O’Connell in the VISAA Division I state title game on March 1 in Richmond.
4. He won several awards after a stellar senior season. After guiding Highland to the state title, Ament was named the VISAA Division I state Player of the Year and the Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year. He was also one of five finalists for the Naismith Award, given annually to the nation’s top high school player.
5. He played in a few postseason all-star games. After his senior season at Highland was complete, Ament played in the McDonald’s All American Game, an annual exhibition between many of top-ranked recruits in the country, on April 1 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. He later played for Team USA at the Nike Hoops Summit on April 12 in Portland, Ore
6. When not on the hardwood, he likes to golf. Ament is on the golf team at Highland, but he said he hasn’t been to many practices or competitions lately as he wrapped up his college recruitment.
He said Knoxville is pretty and has nice golf courses. “They have a nice golf course that we visited when I was on my visit,” Ament said.
