Mavericks Not Included in Pre-Draft Workouts For Rising Prospect

As we near the NBA Draft on June 23 in Brooklyn, New York, the Dallas Mavericks were reportedly scheduled to watch another lottery candidate showcase their skills in a pre-draft workout.

Dallas holds the No. 9 pick in this year's first round, and Tennessee wing Nate Ament is a popular prospect for that range.

According to Ament's trainer, Chauncey Beckett, the 6-10 teenager had previously included the Mavs among the handful of teams he was scheduled to work out with.

"These are the ones he was supposed to do: LA [Clippers], OKC, Mavs, Nets and the Bulls," Beckett said to Ratings.

There's a gray area in that word "supposed". According to Ament himself on Thursday, June 18, he has not worked out with the Mavericks. In fact, he's only played in front of those four other teams, suggesting that there could have been a change of plans for his workout with the Mavs.

"I've only done four workouts," Ament said on ESPN's SportsCenter. "Chicago, Brooklyn, OKC, and the Clippers, so those teams have shown a lot of love throughout the process."

Ament could still be preparing for an upcoming meeting with Dallas, which would mean Masai Ujiri and the Mavericks front office would get the latest look at the intriguing prospect ahead of next week's draft. But the apparent alteration to this process is notable.

The former Tennessee Volunteer was an All-SEC selection in his one season in Knoxville after averaging 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Reporter Jake Fischer of The Stein Line has Ament as "a strong contender to emerge as Dallas' ultimate pick at No. 9," but the Bulls (No. 4 pick), Clippers (No. 5), and Nets (No. 6) all sit above the Mavs and have already gotten a look at Ament in person. The Thunder are slotted at the No. 12 pick (via LAC), but have reportedly shown interest in trading up in the draft.

"Honestly, for me it’s all about fit," Ament said about how he hopes this process ends. "It doesn’t really matter whether I get drafted high or low. I just want to go somewhere that allows me to come in and make an impact right away. As long as I’m playing and helping a team, I’d be happy with it."

Beckett promoted his player by saying how Ament is everything you'd want in a rookie.

"They’re getting not only a great basketball player, but a great guy who cares about his teammates and cares about winning," the trainer said.

With great size and a natural athleticism that allows him to produce on all three levels offensively, Ament could fit a mold that Ujiri has liked in previous prospects. Scottie Barnes most notably comes to mind as he won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season with the Toronto Raptors after Ujiri drafted him No. 4 overall in 2021.

"Scouts view him as a fluid face-up forward who can handle in space, attack closeouts, and create his own shot at his size, with the touch to shoot off the catch from three and mid-range," said our colleague Grant Afseth. "His length and mobility give him the tools to defend wings and some small-ball 4s, though added strength remains a common development note in his evaluation."