Tennessee basketball confronts the possibility of losing standout forward Nate Ament to the NBA Draft. But on Thursday, the Volunteers achieved a critical College Basketball Recruiting victory. One who watched Tennessee defeat Auburn and Villanova to earn this four-star.
Chris Washington, a potential member of the Class of 2026, will play for Rick Barnes and the Vols, according to On3/Rivals’ Jamie Shaw, who verified the recruiting decision. Washington had narrowed his choices down to five schools, including Ole Miss and USC.
However, according to Shaw, indications suggested that Tennessee was gaining traction.
“Washington is originally from Florida. “He spent his final two seasons of high school basketball at Providence (TN) Christian Academy,” Shaw added. “He played his summer ball with the BMaze travel program (from Knoxville) on the Under Armour NEXT Circuit. The BMaze program is led by Bobby Maze, a former point guard who played 64 games in two seasons at Tennessee.
Washington’s ties to Knoxville and Maze undoubtedly influenced his decision.
Meanwhile, Tennessee is undergoing a rebuilding phase after losing to Michigan in the Elite Eight. Barnes and the Vols have also been quite aggressive in the College Basketball Transfer Portal.
Jalen Haralson, a former Notre Dame standout, joined the Volunteers on Wednesday. The Fighting Irish lose their top scorer to Tennessee as a result. Haralson declined North Carolina (which is now led by former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone) and Ohio State.
The Southeastern Conference powerhouse enhanced its frontcourt by signing Miles Rubin from Loyola (Chicago). Rubin provides a powerful 6-foot-10 frame down low for the 2026-27 campaign.
Despite the NBA speculation, Ament may potentially return for his second season. The rookie may dislike his pre-draft assessment and return to Barnes.
