Milwaukee Bucks rookie Nate Ament says he would entertain playing for the Rwanda national basketball team.
The Rwandan-American forward was speaking in an interview conducted a few days before the 2026 NBA Draft, when he was asked how he would respond if Rwanda approached him about playing for the national team.
Ament, 19, was selected 13th overall in Tuesday night's NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, who later included him among three first-round picks sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in Monday's blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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"I would entertain it for sure," Ament said. "Basketball is huge in that country and it means so much to their fans and their community. So I would definitely entertain it."
Born in the United States to an American father and a Rwandan mother, Ament has maintained a strong connection to his roots. During the draft ceremony, he wore a jacket featuring Visit Rwanda branding, a tribute that attracted attention from both Rwandan and international media.
"It means so much to me," said Ament, who last visited Rwanda in August 2025.
The 2.08-metre forward entered the NBA Draft after an outstanding freshman season at the University of Tennessee, where he established himself as one of the country&039;s top prospects.
His selection made him the joint-sixth-highest draft pick in Tennessee basketball history and the program's highest-selected player since Marcus Haislip was taken 13th overall in 2002.
Ament also became Tennessee's ninth top-15 NBA Draft pick, the 13th first-round selection in program history and the 17th player to be drafted in the top 30.
The talented forward is the 58th player drafted from Tennessee and only the second Volunteer ever selected by the Miami Heat after Josh Richardson, who was taken 40th overall in 2015.