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Class of 2025 forward Nate Ament has narrowed his list of schools to five as he eyes an upcoming commitment. His recruitment has been an interesting one given the potential NIL outcome.
Ament has been “auctioning off” his college decision for cash via a crowdfunding site called Fanstake. Essentially, fans of frontrunning programs can “stake” money to their school of choice.
Fans of these basketball programs can “stake” NIL money to the college that they would like to see Ament attend.
Once Ament makes his decision, he gets 90 percent of the NIL money that was “staked” to that school. The other 10 percent is split between his teammates and Fanstake.
“I’m proud to partner with Fanstake,” Ament said about his NIL deal. “This platform gives fans a unique way to be part of the recruiting process, which is pretty cool.”
On Tuesday, Nate Ament narrowed his list of “bidders” from 11 to five. Those final schools include Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, and Tennessee.
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Those names are notable given their NIL status. Arkansas provided John Calipari a hefty recruiting budget in order to pry him away from Lexington. His replacement, Mark Pope, has was promised a similar investment in Year 1 of his tenure.
College basketball star Cooper Flagg has capitalized on his NIL opportunities at Duke while Tennessee and Louisville have each made NIL headlines across the 2024-25 campaign. Those fanbases are heavily invested in their programs’ success, as well.
While payment won’t be the lone factor his commitment, Nate Ament could look to the highest bidders when making his final decision.
“I’m still weighing my options for where I’ll play, and there’s a lot to consider, but it’s exciting to see how fans can get involved in helping me find the right fit.”
-Nate Ament
The schools that ultimately lose out on the five-star talent’s services will have their stakes credited back. He broke down what stands out about each program, outside of NIL, this week.
BREAKING! 5 ⭐️ Nate Ament, the top uncommitted recruit in the 2025 class, Announces his top 5 schools with Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee. @NateAment15 @JordanRichardSC pic.twitter.com/2Wo2aCowXz
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) February 25, 2025
The forward is looking to make his decision on April 1 at the McDonald’s All-American Game. Many believe Louisville holds a slight advantage over the competition though Kentucky and Duke are “within striking distance.”
Interestingly enough, it’s Louisville who’s the current leader in the clubhouse in terms of Fanstake support. Cardinals fans have pledged more than $37,000 compared to second-place Kentucky at $21,500. The remaining suitors sit below $6,000. We should know Ament’s choice in a little over a month.