Tennessee coach Rick Barnes visits five-star small forward Nate Ament
Rick Barnes made an in-person visit with Nate Ament on Monday, as Tennessee’s pursuit continues of the five-star small forward and consensus top-five prospect in the 2025 class.
Ament, the 6-foot-9, 185-pound product of Manassas, Va., is ranked No. 3 overall in the On3 rankings. He’s the No. 2 small forward in the class and No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Virginia.
Ament was scheduled to announce his commitment decision on April 1 at the McDonald’s All-American Game, but he delayed the decision.
He told reporters during the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland over the weekend that he would like to make a decision in the “next week or two.”
Tennessee made final five for Nate Ament in February
Tennessee made the final five for Ament back in February, when he cut his list down to the Vols, Duke, Louisville, Arkansas and Kentucky. He took visits to Tennessee in October and February.
“They have Chaz Lanier this year and then Dalton Knecht last year,” Ament told On3’s Jamie Shaw in January. “So they like to have a shooter come in, and I’d like to consider myself a shooter. So being able to come in and be that guy because, Chaz is leaving next year, so that’s great.
“But I love their head coach and their assistant coaches. I love everything about Tennessee, they’re great people, always nice to me. And they’re always coming to check out my games.”
Lanier is one of six seniors Tennessee is losing, alongside Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Jordan Gainey, Igor Milicic Jr. and Darlinstone Dubar.
The Vols so far have added two players from the NCAA Transfer Portal, signing Maryland point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Vanderbilt forward Jaylen Carey.
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Tennessee hosted Maryland guard Rodney Rice on a visit over the weekend alongside Gillespie, his former teammate and roommate at Maryland.
The Vols are also still recruiting Division II transfer Elyjah Freeman, the 6-foot-8 wing at Lincoln Memorial who averaged 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a freshman this season.
Freeman has visited Indiana and Auburn and told On3’s Auburn Live that he is planning a Tennessee visit as well.
Tennessee has signed two transfers, two prep prospects
Tennessee has signed two high school prospects in four-star guard Amari Evans and four-star center Dewayne Brown, and has a commitment from point guard Troy Henderson.
“As far as my commitment goes,” Ament told Krysten Peek during the Nike Hoop Summit, “definitely going to I want to have play for a coach that believes in me. He’s going to push me to be better than I already am, but also allow me to, you know, showcase my skills and teach me how to play the game the right way.
“Also, you know, a great recruiting class, you know, players I want to play with. Players that want to play with me. Those two things are huge. And then also, just like, you know, how the team, the culture of the school and the team, do they have a family aspect? Do they bond well, on and off the court. So those things are probably going to play the biggest part, too.”
