Bucks’ Nate Ament makes Tennessee history not seen since 2002

Nate Ament accomplished an incredible moment for the Tennessee Volunteers after the Milwaukee Bucks selected him in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.

Ament only played one season of college basketball with the Volunteers, shining as one of the top freshmen in the country. He averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, helping Tennessee reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament while earning a spot on the Second Team All-SEC.

Ament sees the start of his NBA career begin after the Miami Heat selected him 13th overall in the draft. However, he won’t be going to Florida as he’s heading to the Bucks because Milwaukee acquired Miami’s lottery pick in the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.

Ament joined an exclusive class of Tennessee players who were lottery selections in the NBA draft, per SEC Network. The last lottery selection from the Volunteers was Marcus Haislip back in 2002.

“Nate Ament is the third @Vol_hoops player taken in the NBA draft lottery . He’s heading to the Bucks in a reported trade with Miami,” the post read.

Nate Ament is the third @Vol_hoops player taken in the NBA draft lottery

He's heading to the Bucks in a reported trade with Miami. pic.twitter.com/S15OKlOq9h

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) June 24, 2026

What’s next for Bucks amid Nate Ament’s draft selection

Nate Ament will look forward to the start of his NBA career with the Bucks. However, he joins a team that is going through a new era after sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat.

Milwaukee is coming off a brutal 2025-26 campaign in which they finished with a 32-50 record. They finished at 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, falling short of the play-in tournament and failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Antetokounmpo brought so much success to the Bucks, leading them to the championship in 2021. However, the lack of results since has resulted in the tough decision for both parties to split up. Milwaukee got a big package from Miami, looking to maximize the potential going into next season and beyond.

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