Three former Tennessee basketball stars are taking the next step toward the NBA, as Nate Ament, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, and Felix Okpara have all received invitations to the NBA Draft Combine. The event, which brings together over 70 top prospects for evaluation, runs from May 10-17 in Chicago.

Ament, a 6-foot-10 forward, has been turning heads all season. He declared for the 2026 NBA Draft on April 23 after a standout freshman campaign, and most analysts see him as a late lottery pick. USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky projects him at No. 14, while The Ringer's latest mock has him at No. 13. ESPN's two-round mock draft from April 28 is even more bullish, slotting Ament at No. 10 overall.

Gillespie and Okpara are also in the mix, though their paths differ. Gillespie, who averaged 18.4 points per game in his only season with the Vols, is projected by ESPN to go at No. 57. Okpara, the anchor of Tennessee's top-ranked conference defense and an All-SEC defensive team member, is pegged for the final pick of the draft. While Ament is expected to forgo his remaining three years of eligibility, both Gillespie and Okpara have exhausted their college careers.

Ament's numbers speak volumes—16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game—while Okpara's defensive presence was felt with 6.3 rebounds and key stops all season. For fans who followed their journeys, seeing them on the combine stage is a proud moment.

In a related note, former Vols forward Tobe Awaka, now at Arizona, also received a combine invite. He averaged 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds last season after transferring from Tennessee, where he played his first two years.

Whether you're repping Ament's smooth shooting, Gillespie's scoring burst, or Okpara's lockdown defense, these three are proof that Tennessee basketball is producing NBA-ready talent. Keep an eye on Chicago—this is just the beginning.