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Nate Ament's fate in the 2026 NBA draft is directly linked to one of the league's biggest stars.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, is expected to be traded before the first round of the draft on June 23 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Antetokounmpo's next landing spot could dictate where the 6-foot-10 All-SEC freshman begins his NBA career. The Bucks own the No. 10 pick, a popular destination for Ament in mock drafts. They could also acquire the No. 13 pick if they deal with the Miami Heat.
Ament reportedly had a meeting with Bucks general manager Jon Horst and coach Taylor Jenkins. He did not have a private workout with Milwaukee.
Ament told ESPN he has only worked out with the Chicago Bulls (No. 4, No. 15), Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5), Brooklyn Nets (No. 6) and Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 12, No. 17).
"It doesn't really matter if I get drafted high or low," Ament said during an interview on "SportsCenter" on June 19. "I just want to be able to come in and impact the game immediately. That sounds good to me as long as I'm playing."
Milwaukee remains the common landing spot for Ament among draft analysts, even with the Antetokounmpo cloud hanging over the draft. USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky, CBS Sports, the Ringer, and Yahoo Sports all have Ament going to the Bucks in their most recent mock drafts.
Another USA TODAY mock from Jordan Mendoza has Ament sliding down outside of the lottery to the Bulls at No. 15, which is one of his lowest projections of the cycle.
ESPN moved Ament up to No. 9 to Dallas before the Mavericks hired former Michigan coach Dusty May.
Both Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara seem to be solid locks for the second round of the draft on June 24 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Though their spots vary, the two former Tennessee stars appear in most second-round mock drafts.
Gillespie has been mocked as high as No. 41 to Miami and as low as No. 55 to the New York Knicks, with other projections to the Phoenix Suns at No. 47 and Washington Wizards at No. 51.
The All-SEC point guard from Greeneville led the Vols with 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals last season.
Okpara's range begins slightly earlier with projections to Chicago at No. 38, the Boston Celtics at No. 40, the Orlando Magic at No. 46 and Phoenix at No. 47.
The 6-11 Okpara is one of the best all-around defenders in the 2026 draft class. He averaged 1.5 blocks for the SEC's top defense, and is versatile enough to switch onto smaller guards on the perimeter. Okpara finished his final season with 8.0 points on almost 60% shooting and 6.3 rebounds.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: [email protected]
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What we're hearing about NBA draft, Nate Ament, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara
Continue reading...
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, is expected to be traded before the first round of the draft on June 23 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Antetokounmpo's next landing spot could dictate where the 6-foot-10 All-SEC freshman begins his NBA career. The Bucks own the No. 10 pick, a popular destination for Ament in mock drafts. They could also acquire the No. 13 pick if they deal with the Miami Heat.
Ament reportedly had a meeting with Bucks general manager Jon Horst and coach Taylor Jenkins. He did not have a private workout with Milwaukee.
Ament told ESPN he has only worked out with the Chicago Bulls (No. 4, No. 15), Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5), Brooklyn Nets (No. 6) and Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 12, No. 17).
"It doesn't really matter if I get drafted high or low," Ament said during an interview on "SportsCenter" on June 19. "I just want to be able to come in and impact the game immediately. That sounds good to me as long as I'm playing."
Nate Ament 2026 NBA draft stock
Milwaukee remains the common landing spot for Ament among draft analysts, even with the Antetokounmpo cloud hanging over the draft. USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky, CBS Sports, the Ringer, and Yahoo Sports all have Ament going to the Bucks in their most recent mock drafts.
Another USA TODAY mock from Jordan Mendoza has Ament sliding down outside of the lottery to the Bulls at No. 15, which is one of his lowest projections of the cycle.
ESPN moved Ament up to No. 9 to Dallas before the Mavericks hired former Michigan coach Dusty May.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara draft stock
Both Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara seem to be solid locks for the second round of the draft on June 24 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Though their spots vary, the two former Tennessee stars appear in most second-round mock drafts.
Gillespie has been mocked as high as No. 41 to Miami and as low as No. 55 to the New York Knicks, with other projections to the Phoenix Suns at No. 47 and Washington Wizards at No. 51.
The All-SEC point guard from Greeneville led the Vols with 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals last season.
Okpara's range begins slightly earlier with projections to Chicago at No. 38, the Boston Celtics at No. 40, the Orlando Magic at No. 46 and Phoenix at No. 47.
The 6-11 Okpara is one of the best all-around defenders in the 2026 draft class. He averaged 1.5 blocks for the SEC's top defense, and is versatile enough to switch onto smaller guards on the perimeter. Okpara finished his final season with 8.0 points on almost 60% shooting and 6.3 rebounds.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: [email protected]
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What we're hearing about NBA draft, Nate Ament, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara
Continue reading...
