Why Tennessee basketball's Nate Ament wore a Miami Heat hat at the 2026 NBA Draft
Tennessee basketball’s standout freshman Nate Ament walked across the stage as a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23.
When the No. 13 pick was announced, Ament put on a hat with a Miami Heat logo.
Ament, though, will begin his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Ament’s draft destination is one of the multiple ripple effects from the June 22 deal between the Bucks and Heat, which involved former NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo going to Miami.
The Heat’s package in exchange for the two-time MVP included the 13th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Miami technically still owned the pick, though the Bucks made the selection for Ament. NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced the trade before the No. 14 pick.
The 6-foot-10 Ament earned All-SEC honors in his lone season with the Vols, averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35 games. He was the No. 4 player in the country in high school and had long been a projected lottery pick.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball’s Nate Ament had to wear Miami Heat hat at 2026 NBA Draft
