Ament's NBA Draft Move: Vols Staff Knew He Was Gone

0:00On April 27th, Tennessee Vols freshman forward, Nate A.M. just threw his name into the 2026 NBA draft last week. This true freshman from Virginia, a five-star recruit, balled out with 16.7 points per game this season. He's got until May 27th to pull out and keep his college eligibility if he wants. Word on the street had fans buzzing that a mint might test the waters, get some NBA feedback, and boomerang back to Knoxville for year two. Here this week, though, insiders shut that down quick. Speculation lit up social media and sports talk, with everybody wondering if he'd stick around under coach Barnes. Fans loved his ball's energy, but deep down, they knew his stock was sky high as a first-round lock. According to on-3 reporter Chris Lowe, on his RTI low down pod, Tennessee staff never even blinked. They knew he was gone for good. No second guessing from the top. The comments pro-move makes total sense for his bag in his game. Barnes gets it, the team set, and now Valls Nation can celebrate the next chapter while

1:04eyeing the draft spotlight.