The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, thought to be an NBA Draft insider, launched a brand new two-round mock draft this week, projecting Tennessee ahead Nate Ament to be chosen twelfth general by the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
“Ament’s draft vary is without doubt one of the tougher ones to determine,” Vecenie wrote. “He’s figuring out with groups all through the center of the lottery, and the excitement with the Nets, as Jon Rothstein would say, has been palpable. And but, scouts are blended on him.”
The Rwandan-American declared for the 2026 NBA Draft in April after a standout freshman season with the Tennessee Volunteers. The 19-year-old ahead scored 584 factors in the course of the marketing campaign, the third-highest complete by a freshman in Tennessee historical past.
The primary spherical of the NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23. Born to a Rwandan mom and an American father, Ament is praised for his clean taking part in fashion, scoring potential, and recreation intelligence.
Vecenie famous that supporters of Ament's recreation worth his ball-handling potential, consider he’s a greater shooter than he confirmed at Tennessee, and admire his skilled mindset.
“Sources say that Ament comes off as sensible. He cares about his recreation and enhancing. He’s somebody groups need to consider in. However different scouts fear about his body and lack of power, questioning if it’s corresponding to among the points 2024 No. 1 decide Zaccharie Risacher has handled early in his profession with the Hawks,” he famous.
Ament revealed in a media interview final week that he labored out with the Thunder whereas Oklahoma Metropolis had been taking part in the San Antonio Spurs within the Western Convention Finals.
He defined that the exercise centered on making fast selections, taking one or two dribbles, taking pictures in opposition to brief closeouts, and driving in opposition to onerous closeouts.
“A number of it was studying closeouts, understanding the sport,” Ament mentioned. “OKC particular. Like they have already got their principal creators, stuff like that, so with the ability to discover ways to play off them,” he mentioned.
With two picks among the many high 17 picks, the Thunder are thought of a possible touchdown spot for Ament.
Throughout his freshman season at Tennessee, Ament averaged 16.7 factors, 6.3 rebounds, and a couple of.3 assists in 35 video games.
Ament is one in every of three Tennessee gamers included in Vecenie’s two-round mock draft. Felix Okpara is projected to go forty eighth general to the Dallas Mavericks, whereas Ja’Kobi Gillespie is predicted to be chosen fiftieth by the Toronto Raptors.
