Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes directs his team during the first half of a game against the Houston Cougars on Sunday, March 30, 2025, during the Elite Eight round of the NCAA March Madness tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Houston defeated Tennessee 69-50. Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee basketball lands massive five-star recruit

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 9:34 PM ET

One of the top college basketball recruits in the country is headed for Rocky Top.

Five-star prospect Nate Ament has committed to the University of Tennessee. The 18-year-old announced the news on his Instagram page. Ament was previously linked to Kentucky, Duke, and Louisville.

“After a lot of thought and prayer,” wrote Ament. “I’m blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Tennessee!

“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.”

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A post shared by Nate Ament (@ament_nate)

Ament ranks fourth on 247Sports’ composite rankings for the vaunted 2026 recruiting class, which includes high-profile prospects AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and Cameron Boozer (Duke). All four are projected to be top-5 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with a massive wingspan, Ament has the prototypical size to become a star forward at the next level. He becomes Tennessee’s highest-ranked prospect in program history.

Rick Barnes and the Volunteers are coming off back-to-back trips to the Elite Eight. If Ament lives up to his potential as a freshman, he could be the missing piece to help Tennessee finally reach its first Final Four.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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