Yesterday, Nate Ament was a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, the first Tennessee player selected that high since 1983. He was technically selected by the Miami Heat, but will be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal. For the most part, Bucks fans and NBA analysts have been very high on the pick, especially since Ament fell to No. 13, which is lower than he was projected.
Tennessee basketball’s national title odds suggest a real shot at glory
However, not everyone was a fan of the pick. FanSided's Christopher Kline gave the bucks just a "C" grade for the pick. He said:
"The good: Milwaukee should be swinging for the fences, and after taking a "safe" player at No. 10 in Burries, the Bucks are gambling on Nate Ament's high theoretical ceiling in this spot. Ament offers compelling range and versatility as a defender. The theoretical shooting touch and potential for self-creation from a 6-foot-10 wing is an easy selling point. That said, Ament is a disastrous rim finisher for his size. He lacks burst and strength and really struggles to operate under pressure inside the arc. He drew a bunch of fouls, but is also prone to ugly turnovers and forcing bad shots. This feels like a reach, even if he "fell" further than expected."
NBA Draft expert gives Ament pick a C grade
Kline does bring up some fair points about Ament and his game, you can’t deny that. If he were a perfect prospect, he would have been a top-three pick, but he is far from perfect. One concern I would refute is that Ament is prone to turnovers and forcing bad shots. Along with Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Ament was one of the only players on Tennessee who could consistently create offense for himself. That’s why Rick Barnes was aggressive in the portal, bringing in more ball-handling guards. Ament was tasked with doing too much offensively because the team needed it, and as a result, he took some questionable shots and was forced to make difficult plays.
Ament’s assist-to-turnover ratio sits at just over 1:1, but on a team that could have knocked down more shots, he likely could have added a couple more assists to his average. He’s actually a good passer for his size and a capable secondary ball-handler. Last year, even Barnes was impressed with his passing. He said, “It’s great for his teammates because he’s a very unselfish player. He loves passing the ball. I think his versatility separates him from a lot of players.”
Like Kline said, the potential for self-creation from a 6-foot-10 wing is an easy selling point, as is his ability to be a two-way player. It’s not often you find skilled wings that size who can shoot and put the ball on the floor themselves. That’s what makes him so intriguing. He averaged nearly 17 points per game in the SEC, one of the best conferences in the nation, while getting pushed around due to his thin frame. That should excite Bucks fans, not scare them away. He does need to get stronger, and he will, but until then it’s not fair to completely disregard him.
Perhaps Ament will only be a mediocre NBA player down the line, but after losing a generational talent in Milwaukee, I love the pick. They needed to take a swing on a player with All-Star potential, and they got that with Ament. Ultimately, the draft grade doesn’t matter, as Ament’s fate is now in his own hands.
Add us as a preferred source on Google