In a stunning turn of events on the recruiting trail, 5-star forward Nate Ament has flipped his commitment and pledged to the North Carolina Tar Heels, turning down offers from Louisville, Duke, and Kentucky. The highly touted Class of 2025 prospect had originally leaned toward Louisville in recent months, but a strong late push from Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels staff changed everything.
Ament, a 6-foot-9 athletic and versatile forward, is ranked among the top 10 players nationally and brings a dynamic combination of size, skill, and shooting touch to Chapel Hill. His ability to stretch the floor, guard multiple positions, and score at all three levels made him one of the most coveted recruits in the nation. His commitment gives UNC a major recruiting win over some of the most storied programs in college basketball.
“I’ve always had love for North Carolina,” Ament said in his commitment video. “From the culture to the coaching staff to the fans — it just felt like home. I had great relationships with all the schools recruiting me, but when I stepped back and thought about my future, UNC just felt right.”
Hubert Davis and his staff were relentless in their pursuit of Ament, despite earlier momentum favoring Louisville and strong interest from rivals Duke and Kentucky. According to sources, UNC’s player development plan and Ament’s opportunity to make an immediate impact in their system played a major role in swaying his decision.
“This is the kind of commitment that can shift the direction of a recruiting class,” a national recruiting analyst said. “Ament has star potential and fits exactly what UNC wants to do on both ends of the floor. Beating out programs like Duke, Kentucky, and Louisville for him speaks volumes.”
Ament’s decision comes at a time when North Carolina is retooling its roster with a focus on long, skilled wings and forwards who can thrive in positionless basketball. With his ability to handle the ball, shoot from deep, and finish above the rim, Ament projects as a cornerstone piece for the Tar Heels’ future.
The flip also deals a significant blow to Louisville, which had built a strong connection with Ament over the past year. Meanwhile, both Kentucky and Duke were believed to be in serious contention, with each making multiple visits and presenting strong NIL packages. In the end, however, UNC’s consistent presence and vision for Ament’s growth won out.
Tar Heel fans have every reason to be excited. With Ament now in the fold, UNC’s 2025 class has the potential to rise into the top five nationally, especially if they can land a few more high-priority targets. More importantly, they’ve added a player with the potential to be a program-changing talent.
If his senior season is any indication, Nate Ament could arrive in Chapel Hill ready to make an immediate impact — and North Carolina just took a huge step forward in the race for future national championships.