In Tuesday’s NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted the highly-touted Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick. It was a strong selection, with Burries generally regarded as the best player available. But it was Milwaukee’s other pick—Tennessee’s Nate Ament, taken with the 13th overall selection courtesy of the Miami Heat—that generated the most talk. Just look at your comments. It’s understandable too—Ament entered the draft as the most polarising prospect, with critics widely labelling him as the first round pick most likely to “bust.”
Ament might not be the Bucks’ hero right now, but he’s one of the few who can walk that path—and he’s already on it.
The son of parents who took part in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, Ament knows a thing or two about the hero’s journey. And while his path might be less humanitarian—certainly infinitely less consequential—it can still have a profound impact.
Popularised by Joseph Campbell, the literary hero’s journey traditionally has more steps. Still, it’s a useful framework for understanding Ament’s path: a rise to prominence, a fall into uncertainty, and the chance to emerge stronger.
Ament’s story starts in silk. A consensus five-star recruit, he dominated the high school scene, earning selection in both the 2024 USA Men’s U18 National Team, which won gold at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, and the 2025 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team. In fact, he was so good in high school that ESPN’s Jonathon Givony described him as “a top-five recruit and the best available high school boys’ basketball prospect in the 2025 class.” This was his comfort. But comfort never lasts long—not when the call to adventure arrives.
Following the triumph of high school, Ament committed to the University of Tennessee in part because of Coach Rick Barnes, who coached Ament’s idol, Kevin Durant, 19 years earlier at the University of Texas. But despite his immense talent—and similar size and style to Durant—Ament’s lone season with the Volunteers was filled with turbulence. Inconsistencies, struggles at the rim and with physicality, injury. Challenge.
As a result, the criticism grew; his stock lowered. Ament went from being a consensus top five player to being projected in the teens—and even as late as the 20s. Draft night then became visibly painful, every lingering close-up on Ament’s face another critique, another interrogation into his worth. As such, Jon Horst and the Bucks were able to nab him with their 13th pick instead of their 10th.
While Ament’s selection was met with mixed reviews, especially by Bucks fans, it comes at a perfect time. Like Ament, the Bucks are accustomed to external criticism. And, like Ament, they are at a point of transformation; down which path do they venture?
Regardless of the answer, one thing’s for sure: the Bucks have a new head coach and a whole lot of youth. Luckily, then, they also have Joe Boylan, CLA guru, whose mentorship will provide Ament the knowledge, opportunity, and perspective to flourish. Even better, he’s done it before.
Like Ament, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels was a highly-touted high school prospect, a five-star recruit who was ranked among the top 10 in his class—and even projected by Givony as a potential number one overall pick in a draft that included his eventual teammates Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. But he too underwhelmed in college, slipping in big boards and mock drafts until he finally fell into the Timberwolves’ lap with the 28th pick—and was put to work with none other than Boylan.
The similarities don’t stop there. Both stand a slender ~6’10”, though Ament is already listed some 20 pounds heavier (211 lbs vs. 185 lbs, according to Basketball Reference). Heck, both even garnered the same pre-draft player comparison on NBADraft.net, Jonathon Isaac. And while Ament has often been profiled for his offensive potential, especially as a shooter, he’s also been projected by Givony as someone who has the “the ability to defend all over the court.” Considering the lessons we learned from this year’s playoffs, and how valuable forwards are, there’s even more reason for optimism. Of course, as with any journey, there’s work to be done.
First, Ament must deal with the vitriol. Mute the haters, keep the receipts. Whatever the strategy, the drop must fuel not fester. Second, embrace the grind. Find comfort in discomfort. Embrace Boylan and Jenkins and whatever veteran leaders this squad finds (this needs to be a point of emphasis for Horst—just look at how the San Antonio Spurs prioritised Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk, and Harrison Barnes to guide their prized youth).
Third, Ament must find his niche, his ticket to court time. While there’s no clear hierarchy on this Bucks team, there’s plenty of guys to feed. But there aren’t many forwards, especially of the defensive variety. So, Ament must focus on this, using his size and fluidity to contend and contain and contest. To wreak havoc. On the other end, he should focus on, as Jack Trehearne pointed out to me, getting his shooting to the dangerous level it was leading up to his freshman year at Tennessee. In other words, save the “big stuff”—the isolation scoring, the creation for others—for an encore.
Then he can really shock the world; complete the arc.
