Nate Ament Tennessee NBA Draft Stock Tumbles

Nate Ament’s freshman season at Tennessee deflated some early hype but kept enough promise to stay on draft radars. The 6'10", 19-year-old averaged 17.5 points and 6.6 rebounds while showing rare positional size and perimeter shotmaking, yet he shot just 39.9 percent overall and 33.1 percent from three. Scouts peg him as a mid-first round talent who could slip into the late lottery or early 20s unless his finishing and consistency improve. Merlin sees the outline of a classic big-wing project. Teams will buy the length, high release and defensive upside, but Ament needs added strength, better rim finishing and steadier shooting to become more than a complementary scorer. He reminds the oracle of other perimeter bigs who flourish only after patient development.