Rick Barnes' comments about five-star forward Nate Ament are very telling

Tennessee basketball has secured its biggest commit of the year in five-star forward Nate Ament. The No. 3 prospect in the 2025 class committed to the Vols, and Rick Barnes had a lot to say about him. 

Barnes isn't one to talk about commits too much other than a handful of complimentary things, but Barnes went into detail about Ament based on his comments shared on social media. 

"We are ecstatic to welcome Nate Ament and his fantastic family to Rocky Top," Barnes shared. "While everyone is aware of just how special a player Nate is, what really drew us to him throughout the recruiting process was the type of person he is. Nate is a high-character, family-oriented young man with a tremendous, caring support system around him who will mesh with our program from day one. 

"He brings a dynamic skill set to the hardwood, embodying the attributes of a modern basketball player. Standing out with next-level positional size, he possesses the rare combination of the ability to dribble, pass, and shoot with confidence and precision. 

"Nate has a strong basketball I to go along with an excellent pairing of skill and toughness. He's the kind of versatile talent who can impact the game in a variety of ways, and, in our eyes, he was the No. 1 player in the class. We are thrilled to have him in orange."

Barnes isn't the only one praising the Vols' newest commit. College basketball analysts Jonathan Givony and Jamie Shaw also believe Ament has an unlimited ceiling.

"It's been incredibly impressive to see how Nate Ament has grown over the past year and change. Not just physically in terms of his frame and statute, but also with his assertiveness, ball-handling, passing, physicality, and defensive intensity," ESPN NBA Draft Analyst Jonathan Givony writes.

"He's becoming a complete player but is only operating at 25 percent of his potential currently. It's going to be really exciting to see how Coach Rick Barnes and his staff utilize him. I think he'll be one of the best players in the SEC next season with the platform they will give him. Some NBA scouts think he could end up being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. He has that kind of talent."

On3 Sports' Senior Recruiting Analyst loves Ament because of his position versatility. His size and athleticism allow him to play virtually any role on the court. 

"Positional versatility is the intriguing piece of Nate Ament's game. In the 6-9 range, he is someone who can initiate offense with his ability to process or score the ball with consistency from each level," Shaw writes. 
"He plays with toughness despite being thin, and he has natural instincts defending off-ball. In the fluid nature of today's game, Ament can perform across multiple positions and in multiple roles."

It's safe to say Tennessee could have struck gold with the addition of Ament. The Vols could be looking to go with a bigger lineup this year, with Ament immediately inserting himself into the starting five. 

Tennessee doesn't have many guards on the roster for the 2025-26 season, but if Barnes goes all-in on a bigger lineup, that might not be a problem. It could be exactly what the Vols need to break through to the Final Four.