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Nate Ament has made his college commitment. The five-star forward chose the Tennessee Volunteers on Easter weekend, putting an end to a unique recruitment.
Ament was auctioning off his NCAA pledge to the fanbases of his finalists. In the end, he chose the lowest bidder!
Nate Ament is one of the top players in his high school class. The Virginia native is considered a Top 5 player by 247 Sports, with comparisons to NBA standout Michael Porter.
At 6-foot-9, he boasts the length to compete in the paint when needed. He also possesses the athleticism to play on the wing. His new head coach views him as a future NBA Draft pick.
“Coach [Rick] Barnes sees me as a one-and-done type player. He has done it before with Kevin Durant. He sees me as that kind of guy.”
-Nate Ament on Tennessee
The Vols pushed to land Ament’s commitment. They may have to continue pushing for his signature, which is expected to come in the next few days, given the forward’s unique recruiting setup.
Fans are trying to buy Nate Ament’s pledge.
The hooper teamed up with crowdfunding site Fanstake this offseason as a way to raise NIL funds. Fanbases are able to “stake” money to the program they want to see Ament suit up for.
After making his commitment, 90% of the money pledged to his school of choice goes directly into Ament’s pockets. The other 10% is split between Fanstake and his new teammates.
In a surprise twist, Ament chose the lowest bidder! He spurned the support of Louisville, Kentucky, and Duke to settle on Tennessee.
The Cardinals led the way with an $88,000 pledge on Fanstake. Kentucky came in second at nearly $50,000 while the Blue Devils finished at $25,940.
Tennessee’s $13,405 finished only above Arkansas in his list of finalists though the Hogs were never considered a true contender. Ament’s 90% comes out to about a $12,000 NIL payout.
Louisville was long believed to be the program that would ultimately nab Nate Ament. Doubts surrounding that choice surfaced at the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Ament was supposed to announce his pledge at the all-star event. He announced a postponement days before. Smoke soon followed of interest in the Vols, who eventually won him over.
Barring a dramatic change of heart, Ament will play for Tennessee as a freshman. He chose a potential NBA payday over the quick Louisville bag with Fanstake. He hopes to be a draft prospect this time next year.