‘That would be astronomical money' – Could Nate Ament and Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris both play for Tennessee next season?

Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Vols are heavily in the mix for Wake Forest Demon Deacons transfer guard Juke Harris. Tennessee is also hoping to bring Nate Ament back for another season on Rocky Top.

The Tennessee Vols are one of the teams still in the mix for Wake Forest Demon Deacons transfer guard Juke Harris, one of the most coveted players still available in the portal.

Tennessee is also waiting to hear if forward Nate Ament, a true freshman this past season, will return for a second season in Knoxville.

Ament is currently weighing whether to enter the 2026 NBA Draft or return to Tennessee.

Harris, meanwhile, is also considering whether to enter the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Michigan Wolverines and North Carolina Tar Heels are also in the mix for Harris.

Could Nate Ament and Juke Harris both play for Tennessee next season?

Ament and Harris are two of the most talented players in college basketball. It goes without saying that Vols fans would love to see both playing on Rocky Top next season.

But is that realistic?

Probably not, for a couple of reasons.

For one, it would cost a significant amount of NIL money — potentially around $7 to $8 million combined for both players.

Secondly, as VolQuest’s Austin Price noted Wednesday on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will, there’s only one basketball. And that’s a lot of star power for just one ball.

“I think you can’t have both financially,” said Price. “Could they figure out a way to make it work? I mean, I guess. That would be astronomical money for both. But I think the biggest thing is there’s only one ball. And you’ve already got a bunch of guys that were averaging 14, 15, or 17 points a game at their previous school. So they’re gonna want to continue to be able to make shots and be key players at every step of the way here.

“So I think you’re looking at only [getting] one (of Harris or Ament). If you can get one of those guys, Tennessee’s ceiling is what every team wants its ceiling to be — which is to go all the way. I think Tennessee’s added a ton of talent. I feel like they put themselves in position to be back there battling for another Elite Eight or a potential Final Four appearance with the roster they’ve constructed. But if you can add one of those two, then it definitely, to me, takes it over the top.”