Why Nets making controversial Nate Ament pick would be Sean Marks’ boldest move yet

The Brooklyn Nets have been the NBA’s toughest team to forecast in recent draft cycles. After their selection of Egor Demin at No. 8 in 2025 drew criticism, reports suggest they could surprise again with the No. 6 pick this year. Numerous insiders have linked the Nets to Tennessee forward Nate Ament.

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor projected Ament to the Nets in his latest mock draft. Karim Lopez revealed on O’Connor’s podcast that he and Ament are working out for Brooklyn on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie called the Ament to Brooklyn buzz “palpable,” but pointed to scouts’ mixed feelings on the Tennessee forward while projecting him to fall to No. 12.

“Ament’s draft range is one of the more difficult ones to figure out. He’s working out with teams throughout the middle of the lottery, and the buzz with the Nets, as Jon Rothstein would say, has been palpable,” Vecenie wrote. “And yet, scouts are mixed on him. The ones who like him appreciate his ability to play with the ball in his hands, think that he’s a better shooter than he was this year at Tennessee and like his professional mindset. Sources say that Ament comes off as smart. He cares about his game and improving. He’s someone teams want to believe in. But other scouts worry about his frame and lack of strength, wondering if it’s comparable to some of the issues 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has dealt with early in his career with the Hawks.”

An Ament selection would be another zag from Brooklyn’s front office. The Tennessee freshman entered the year as a top-five prospect in many projections. However, a subpar freshman season led him to fall in analysts’ draft rankings. Ament’s average position across seven big boards (ClutchPoints, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, No Ceilings, CBS Sports) is 13.3.

The consensus best players available for the Nets at No. 6 include guards such as Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr. and Darius Acuff Jr. Yet, Ament possesses several traits that Brooklyn has prioritized in recent drafts.

Would Nets pull trigger on Nate Ament with No. 6 pick in 2026 NBA Draft?

The 20-year-old has elite measurables at 6-foot-10 with a near-seven-foot wingspan. He can handle the ball at an above-average level for his size and, despite his struggles this season, is perceived to be a capable shooter. His character and work have received positive reviews over the past year.

Most notably, Ament boasts a past pedigree that has been attractive to the Nets in recent drafts. He was the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025. Brooklyn recently selected numerous highly-touted prospects who fell in projections during their pre-draft seasons, including Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell and Dariq Whitehead.

Ament would also offer a cleaner positional fit alongside the four guards the Nets drafted in 2025. While that could be a factor in the team’s thought process, GM Sean Marks told ClutchPoints that Brooklyn will take the best player available, regardless of position.

“I think we always look at the best available as opposed to can you pick a guy and try to make him fit within your roster and what you already have,” Marks said. “We always look at the upside and where we project these players to end up. That’s a tricky game to play, but I think we’re excited about wherever this pick falls and whatever the opportunity is for us.”

It’s difficult to believe Ament would be the best player on the Nets’ board at No. 6, given the numerous red flags surrounding his profile. While many have pointed to his two-way potential as a jumbo-sized wing, his tools are much more theoretical than practical at this point.

Ament’s three-point shooting was a major letdown at Tennessee, as he converted 33.3 percent of 7.9 attempts per 100 possessions. His interior scoring was more alarming, as he lacked the explosiveness to create significant separation off the dribble or the strength to play through contact around the rim. Those physical shortcomings also limited his defensive impact.

Ament shot 45.4 percent on layups and 43.0 percent on twos, the second-lowest two-point percentage since 2008 among players 6-foot-10 or taller who played over 1,000 minutes, according to Bart Torvik. Only 23 players, 6-foot-8 or taller, with a career two-point percentage under 45.0 have been drafted since 2008. The most successful NBA players among that group are Jaden McDaniels, Jabari Smith Jr., Kyle Anderson and Ziaire Williams.

McDaniels has added significant muscle since his college days, allowing him to become a high-level defender and capable interior scorer. He’s also developed into an adequate three-point shooter, albeit on low volume.

Perhaps the Nets feel Ament can make similar improvements with more shooting upside. Despite his scoring struggles, he was adept at drawing fouls, attempting 7.1 free throws per game and converting 79.0 percent. He also suffered an ankle injury midway through the season, halting a promising offensive stretch.

However, a McDaniels-level player at the high end of a projection is an uninspiring outcome for a Brooklyn team desperate for star power.

Maybe the Nets’ perceived interest in Ament among agents and rival executives is a smokescreen. Maybe they are strongly considering selecting him, but only as part of a trade-back. Maybe they have intel that offers a more inspiring explanation for his college struggles.

Regardless, the Nets have proven in recent drafts that they march to the beat of their own drum. An Ament selection at No. 6 would be the front office’s boldest move yet.

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