KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) 鈥� forward Nate Ament declared Thursday that he’s heading to the NBA draft after one season in college.
Ament helped the Volunteers go 25-12 and to a No. 12 ranking in the with a third straight Elite Eight berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-foot-10, 207-pound Ament started all 35 games he played, and he ranked second in scoring 16.7 points a game. He averaged 6.3 rebounds per game, as well.
He announced his intentions in an saying the support from his Vol family is a huge reason why he has this opportunity.
鈥淚 promise to always represent the Vols with the upmost pride,鈥� Ament wrote. 鈥淭his University means more to me than just basketball 鈥� to me it’s a place I call home. I might’ve only been here a year but I’ll remember this year for the rest of my life.鈥�
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said earlier Thursday that Ament was so special.
鈥淗onestly when he goes through this process that any and every team he sits down in front of they’re going to see the same things that we see,鈥� Barnes said. 鈥淭here’s so much more to him than what you see on the court. Basketball-wise right now I mean there’s no ceiling for him. He hasn’t even really scratched the surface.鈥�
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