Tennessee’s Nate Ament is turning heads in a big way this season, and now he’s got the national recognition to prove it. The standout freshman forward has been named to the Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watchlist - a nod reserved for the top first-year players in college basketball. Only 15 players made the cut, and Ament is one of just two SEC representatives, joined by Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr.
For a little context, the Tisdale Award has been honoring the nation’s top men’s freshman since the 1988-89 season. Named after the late Wayman Tisdale - a dominant force at Oklahoma and a beloved figure in the sport - the award is voted on by members of the United States Basketball Writers Association at the end of the regular season.
Ament’s inclusion is no surprise if you’ve been following his game. He’s averaging 15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals per contest - a stat line that speaks to his all-around impact.
He’s not just filling up the box score either; he’s doing it efficiently and consistently. Ament leads Tennessee in rebounds, made free throws (86), and free throw attempts (114).
He's also second on the team in scoring, assists, steals, field goals made (78), and three-pointers (19).
To put that into perspective, Ament has scored at least 15 points and grabbed four or more boards in 10 of Tennessee’s 17 games. He’s logged six games with 18+ points and seven or more rebounds, and he’s already notched four 20-point performances - three of those coming against Power Five opponents. That’s not just good for a freshman - that’s good, period.
He’s been stacking up accolades along the way, too. Ament has already been named SEC Freshman of the Week three times this season, and he recently landed on the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List, where he was one of just nine freshmen to earn a spot.
Bottom line: Ament’s game is mature beyond his years. He’s not just a promising young player - he’s already a key piece of a Tennessee team with big aspirations. If he keeps up this level of production, don’t be surprised if he’s not just on the watchlist, but walking away with some serious hardware come season’s end.