Tennessee's Nate Ament has been playing at a high-level since loss to Kentucky

Tennessee’s Nate Ament will be an NBA lottery pick once his freshman campaign in Knoxville wraps up. He’s been consistently looking more and more like that caliber of player since the Volunteers lost to Kentucky at home a few weeks ago.

A 6-foot-10 wing who can score the ball with ease, Ament wasn’t always playing like a top 10 pick to begin the season. A handful of single-digit scoring games against the likes of Houston, Illinois, and Texas (two of those coming as losses) with season-long shooting percentages that would be considered below-average (41.8 FG%, 31.1 3PT%) prompted questions about how his skillset will translate to the next level. He’s been answering those questions as of late, though.

Ament played a solid, but not great, game against Kentucky back on Jan. 17. He still managed 17 points in 35 minutes, but on only seven shot attempts — his second-fewest in an SEC game this season. The Wildcat defense held him to just three points in the first half, but seemed perfectly content letting him hit more of a rhythm in the second. Ament’s 14 second-half points led Tennessee, but Kentucky still won that half by 13 points, capping off a 17-point comeback victory.

There were instances against Kentucky, particularly in that first half, where Ament simply felt hesitant to hunt his shots and find his spots. But that loss must’ve flipped a mental switch for him — the freshman has been playing his best basketball of the season ever since.

In the four games since his team coughed up a huge lead to the Wildcats, Ament has averaged 24.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 36.5 minutes per outing. He’s shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from deep on 4.5 attempts. He’s also been living at the free throw line, hitting 76.9 percent on nearly 10 attempts per game from the stripe.

It’s no coincidence that Tennessee’s offense has gone up a level during this stretch. The Volunteers haven’t lost since playing UK, including big road wins over Alabama and Georgia (OT).

Nate Ament made a great college decision

Thr things he needed to improve seem to improving at a rapid rate

He’s competing, defending, and his potential is turning into production

Love to see it

pic.twitter.com/vfLSPoShbb

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 4, 2026

“I think he’s seeing it different, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said Friday of his star rookie. “He’s a terrific passer, good in ball screens. I think that he was anxious to score the ball, probably more so, and he’s so much more than that. He can obviously shoot the ball, score the ball, but he’s starting to understand all the other parts of the game.”

One might say the game is slowing down for Ament. He’s doing a better job lately of letting the game come to him instead of trying to impose his will on it. His numbers and Tennessee’s wins back that up. It’s certainly not unusual to see a talented freshman take jumps in his game as the season goes along.

“I think one of the toughest things is when players go into the game thinking, ‘I got to make shots,’ as opposed to going in thinking, ‘I got to play the game. I’ve got to do what the scout report says on both ends of the court,'” Barnes added. “And I think the most instinctive thing they do is shoot. That’s what they do instinctively. So that’s something I don’t think most players should be concerned about. They should be about, ‘what do we have to do to execute this game plan?’ And I think that’s where he’s improved, probably more than anything.”

Kentucky did more than enough to limit Ament en route to a win a few weeks ago. Can the Wildcats replicate that in the rematch on Saturday night in Rupp Arena (8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN) with Ament playing at an even higher level?