Nate Ament has been named among the 73 players who will feature at the NBA Draft Combine, a multi-day event where top draft-eligible basketball prospects undergo athletic testing, medical exams, and on-court drills in front of NBA coaches. The 19-year-old Rwandan-American already declared for the 2026 Draft set to take place in June. Ament is regarded as one of the players that can be lottery picks in the NBA Draft of this year. In the NBA, the top 14 picks in the draft are known as “lottery picks,” and they are decided through a random draw among teams that did not make the playoffs. ALSO READ: Rwandan-American player Nate Ament declares for 2026 NBA Draft Currently, Ament is projected to be between pick No. 9 and 10. As the draft gets closer, here are the top talents that the basketball prodigy will be facing off for a slot among the lottery picks. 1. AJ Dybantsa Freshman 2025-26 stats: 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists in 35 games Dybantsa, who averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists in college basketball for the BYU Cougars, is looked at as the number one pick in this year’s draft. According to ESPN, Dybantsa is described as a player with elite physical traits, major scoring upside as his skills develop and room to grow into a positive defender, checking all the boxes NBA teams look for in a future star at a coveted position. 2. Darryn Peterson The shooting guard features for the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 Conference for whom he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 24 games. He has been described as a serious worker who is passionate about his craft. 3. Cameron Boozer Boozer features for Duke in the NCAA Division I college basketball averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists in 38 games. The forward is said to have the makings of a foundational, tone-setting player, and while his limited vertical lift might cap some of his upside, at some point, it's hard to argue with the results he has gotten. 4. Caleb Wilson 2025-26 stats: 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 24 games Wilson's pair of hand injuries didn't impact his standing on draft boards, with lottery teams continuing to debate internally how he projects relative to the other top prospects, particularly the more polished but less physically gifted Boozer. He will have an opportunity to make his case in pre-draft workouts, where his athletic gifts should stand out, and teams will want to better assess his skill level and shooting. There are potential scenarios where he can go higher than this, depending on how the lotto order breaks. 5. Darius Acuff Jr 2025-26 stats: 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists in 36 games Excitement around Acuff crested in March, with a torrid stretch elevating his draft status and positioning him for a potential leap into the top five. Opinions around the NBA vary on where he stacks up amid a very talented guard class -- there is curiosity around how he'll measure physically at the combine, but little doubt he has the chops to help run a team next season. There is an expectation that Acuff will need to be insulated defensively on a winning team, but he is a highly skilled and the most polished point guard in the class. 6. Keaton Wagler 2025-26 stats: 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists in 37 games Wagler led Illinois all the way to the Final Four to cap one of the more remarkable prospect rises ever, entering the season as a curiosity for scouts and finishing as a bona fide top talent in an exceptional lottery class. While scouts expect it will take time for him to add strength and adjust physically to the NBA, the fact that Wagler is 6-foot-6, plays with change of pace, and adds value at both guard positions points to major long-term upside as his body matures and he gains experience. His unusual trajectory and rapid improvement bode well. 7. Kingston Flemings 2025-26 stats: 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists in 37 games Flemings' explosive speed and winning intangibles swayed NBA executives this season, and he projects as a lead playmaker who puts downhill pressure on defenses and should also add value as a defender. The continued progression of his jump shot is key for him and something he'll need to demonstrate effectively in team workouts, but he got positive results at Houston (38.7% from 3, 84.5% from the line) and has shown growth already in that area. 8. Mikel Brown Jr 2025-26 stats: 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists in 21 games Brown's back injury made it difficult for him to boost his stock in-season, making the pre-draft process critical to show teams he is healthy and remind them of his significant offensive talent. His positional size, shooting ability and playmaking skill should stand out in workout settings, but he needs a positive spring to work his way further up the board in a guard-heavy lottery, with Acuff, Wagler and Flemings all having outstanding seasons. There are still scouts who view Brown's upside as the highest of the group, but it might take some work for him to leap ahead of the other top guards. 9. Brayden Burries Freshman 2025-26 stats: 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 39 games Burries endeared himself to teams over the course of the season as a steady two-way contributor with room to grow as a scorer. Scouts see an intriguing upside as he continues to improve as an on-ball playmaker, but he is a solid-enough shooter to play the two, giving him appealing versatility. He is older than other freshman guards in the lottery and not as flashy, but might be closer to directly impacting winning. 10. Nate Ament 2025-26 stats: 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 35 games While Ament's stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star upside or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around the opportunity to select a prospect of his caliber later in the lottery. As a tall skill player with real shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. 11. Karim Lopez 2025-26 stats: 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 31 games The top overseas-based player in a thin international prospect class, Lopez has a chance to help himself in pre-draft workouts, where teams will gain a better sense of his physical traits and skill level coming off a positive year in the NBL. Showing progress as a perimeter shooter in those settings would help his case to sneak into the top 10, as he jockeys for position with Ament and Yaxel Lendeborg, two other versatile forwards. 12 Yaxel Lendeborg 2025-26 stats: 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists in 40 games Lendeborg is set to benefit from his instrumental role in Michigan's title run, where his versatility shone through on both sides of the ball, and he shot 52.9% from 3 in his final 11 games. Advanced age aside, he should be an attractive option for teams in the lottery that are angling to win next year, with a skill set that will be additive on any roster. 13. Labaron Philon Jr 2025-26 stats: 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists in 33 games Philon helped himself by returning to school and will have a case in the late lottery as an option for any team in need of shot creation. He can be polarizing for scouts, with persistent questions around his ability to run a team in the half-court, but he's a proven scorer with positional size who could provide a real spark coming off the bench in the right context. 14. Aday Mara 2025-26 stats: 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 40 games Mara played exceptionally well as Michigan rolled to the title and showcased his unique skill level at 7-3. He is an excellent passer and quick processor who can be an offensive conduit, in addition to finishing simple plays. Scouts have also been impressed with his improved conditioning at his size. To realize his upside, maximizing his body and developing a reliable jump shot will be crucial -- but Mara is the most gifted center in the draft, both skill- and size-wise, with a chance to sneak into the top 10 depending on how the board falls.
