As a unanimously ranked five-star and the No. 2 overall player in the country according to On3, Nate Ament is often known for his ability on the hardwood as a basketball player. With strong ties to his mother’s native Rwanda, though, the talented Tennessee freshman sees the opportunity to use his elevated platform as a way to give back to others.
Nate Ament is the son of Albert Ament, a French teacher, and Godelive Ament, a nurse, who met in the latter’s native Rwanda in 1998 while the former was working there and in then-Zaire with Catholic Relief Services. While his Rwandan background only comes from one side of his family, dedication to his mother’s homeland pours through his heart.
Admittedly, Ament knows he did not ask his mother much about Rwanda as he was growing up. Yet, as he grew older and learned more about his identity and his heritage, he became more interested in using the connection to help others.
“Seeing all the hardship [Rwandans] went through and the country it is now just inspires me to be a better person,” Ament said. “I wanted to be someone kids in Rwanda could look up to, someone that could inspire changes in the country.”
Not only is his Rwandan identity important for giving back, but it is a key component of who he is as a person.
“Being who I am and representing Rwanda, if I can just say I’m from Rwanda and help someone in any way, I’ll do that,” Ament said. “That country just means so much to me.”
As a point of pride, Ament spreads the message of Rwandan support however he can. One of these ways is unquestionably unique.
Through his deal with Reebok, Ament was given the opportunity to have his own sneaker colorway. He chose to use the colors of the Rwandan flag to spread awareness and honor a country he holds dear.
“We did a lot of brainstorming, and [this] was the first thing that came up was, ‘why not honor Rwanda and honor my mom, and my family,” Ament shared. “…Because that’s why I play basketball.”
This past summer, Ament took a trip to Rwanda, where he hosted a basketball camp and clinic for children. Many kids look up to athletes as role models and that certainly true of the youth in Rwanda, who see Ament as someone they can be like as a person and an athlete.
“I knew what I was going there to do, but I was also excited to go see family I haven’t seen in a while,” Nate Ament said. “Realizing my basketball ability led me to such important people and them telling me that my success and what I could do could help their country in such positive ways, it just gave me a new outlook on basketball and how much deeper I could take it.”
The trip also helped Ament find a deeper sense of connection to the country. Getting to see his extended family and being immersed in the daily life of Rwanda helped improve his sense for who he is as a person and what matters most.
“It was humbling to see all of my family, and that they kind of looked up to me a certain way,” Ament said. “It did so much for my mindset and really reinforced that ‘INAM’ mindset that Tennessee has, that it’s really not about me. I may be good at basketball, but the country is so much more a deeper sense of inspiration to me than I am to it.”
With such a profound impact, Ament is already making a difference in his first year on Rocky Top.
“Having Nate as part of the Tennessee community and being with us is special. He embodies what we’re all about, ‘INAM’, in his every day walk,” associate head coach Justin Gainey said. “He’s one of the most selfless, most humble men I’ve been around. He fits our culture and embodies everything that we are about and coach [Rick] Barnes is about.”
Even while stateside, Nate Ament is still able to use his Rwandan identity to impact others, especially those with similar heritage.
“He’s very active and aware and cognizant of where he comes from, and his mother’s background. He’s passionate about helping out in Rwanda,” Gainey shared. “Whether it’s basketball or having a better life, he’s all about helping others.”
With the full 2025-26 campaign ahead, Ament will be focused on the hardwood and helping his basketball teammates get closer to achieving their goals.
While the season will certainly bring along challenges of its own, Ament will continue to use his time with the Big Orange to become a better athlete, friend and person as he seeks to help impact the lives of all those around him, both locally and in Rwanda.
