CHICAGO – A member of a talented freshman class this season, Nate Ament is a key reason Tennessee is back in the Sweet Sixteen. He’s also one of the highest-profile players in college men’s basketball and has had to navigate NIL throughout the year.
Ament heads into Friday’s matchup against Iowa State averaging 16.9 points, which sits second on the Tennessee roster, along with a team-high 6.4 rebounds. Off the court, his $1.3 million On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 25 in men’s college basketball and No. 65 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.
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While going through this year on Rocky Top, Ament has maintained a balance between on-court and off-court success. When asked by On3 about how he manages it, he stressed the importance of a close inner circle, including his reps at LIFT Sports Management.
“For me, it’s just my circle and the people around me,” Ament said while speaking with a small group of reporters after Thursday’s practice. “Picking a good agent, having a good family around you so that I don’t have to worry about any of the NIL stuff. I can leave that to them, and I just have to do my job and focus on the court.”
As he became a highly rated recruit, Ament also inked an NIL deal with Reebok as the company began to grow its basketball roster. It gave him a chance to work with NBA great Allen Iverson, who Ament considers a mentor. Like Iverson, Ament is also from Virginia.
The partnership is expected to continue when Ament, a projected lottery pick, goes to the NBA. He said Reebok has been in his corner from the jump and he appreciates the relationship with the brand.
“Really great partnership,” Ament said. “They’ve been with me every step of the way. I’m just so grateful for them and how they’ve helped me in my career so far.”
With his success in the NIL space, Nate Ament is also getting a handle on navigating on-court and off-court success before going to the association next year. On3’s Jamie Shaw III listed him as his No. 7 overall player on his most recent Big Board, meaning Ament is in position to be in the lottery discussion.
Establishing trust in college was important with the NBA awaiting. By doing so, Ament can keep his attention on the task at hand: winning basketball games.
“Absolutely,” Ament said when asked if navigating NIL prepared him for balancing endorsement deals in the NBA. “I think it’s really all about having trust for the people around you so you don’t have to worry about them upholding their job.”