When 5-star Tennessee basketball signee and freshman phenom Nate Ament spoke with the media over the summer, he said he knew that his elite status no longer meant anything. Being ranked the No. 2 PF in the country was nice, but again, it means nothing at the college level.
Nation's No. 1 PF visiting Tennessee for the Duke game is massive for Rick Barnes
Because of this, the youngster has been working around the clock to get his mind and body ready for his true frosh campaign. This includes living in the weight room? That might be the case, as Ament is looking noticeably bigger during practices. According to Jonathan Givony, Ament is up nearly 20 points, checking in at 6-10, 207. You already know NBA scouts are taking notice:
37 scouts from 29 NBA teams attended Tennessee's Pro Day for Nate Ament and the entire @Vol_Hoops roster.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) October 7, 2025
The 6'10, 18-year-old wing is up 19 pounds from April, now 207 pounds. Has perhaps the highest upside of any prospect in this draft class. pic.twitter.com/RLBWMvzE7H
5-star Tennessee basketball freshman Nate Ament is now up to 207 pounds
This is how you take your game to the next level. When Ament first made the move to Knoxville, he was weighing around 190 pounds with a wet shirt on. Now, though, he's bulking up a bit, which is of course going to help him for when SEC play gets here.
Ament signed with Tennessee as the highest-rated player ever in program history. He has the goal of trying to help the Vols get to the Final Four for the first time ever in front of him. Rick Barnes and Co. have reached the Elite Eight in back-to-back years, but they've unfortunately suffered losses in those games.
Will Ament be able to get this team over the hump? The 2025-26 season is likely going to be his lone opportunity to do so, as he's widely expected to be one-and-done at the college level. Ament has the NBA written all over him, with plenty of 2026 mock drafts featuring him in the Top 5.
He's downright electric with the ball in his hands and he's going to be tough to stop once the season officially tips off. The fact that he is adding size and taking his body seriously is good news all around for Tennessee. It will no question make a big impact for him in what should be a freshman campaign to remember for him and the Vols as a whole.