Tyler Tanner (No. 3) of the Vanderbilt Commodores shoots against Jerrell Colbert of the McNeese Cowboys during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City.
Tyler Tanner (No. 3) of the Vanderbilt Commodores shoots against Jerrell Colbert of the McNeese Cowboys during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City.
Three players from Tennessee and two from Vanderbilt are among 73 who’ve been extended invitations to the NBA Draft Combine 2026, which will take place May 10-17 in Chicago.
The three Vols expected to attend the event include guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who began his college career at Belmont, as well as forwards Nate Ament and Felix Okpara.
Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner and forward Tyler Nickel earned invitations as well.
It’s a big change from last year for the state’s SEC squads, as only one player from Tennessee — Vols guard Chaz Lanier, a Nashville native and Ensworth alum — was invited to the combine.
Lanier would later be drafted No. 37 overall by Detroit, where he signed a four-year, $8.79 million contract and averaged 2.4 points on 31.5 percent shooting from the field this season.
Among this year’s crop of Tennessee invites, Ament, a rising sophomore, still has the option of returning to play for the Vols in 2026-27. But the 6-10, 207-pound Virginia native appears likely headed to the NBA after averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game last season.
Gillespie averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds this season, while Okpara contributed 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Vols, who reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year.
Tanner will have a big decision to make by May 27, the deadline for players to withdraw from the draft and retain college eligibility. The NBA Draft will be held June 23-24 in New York.
A rising junior, the Nashville native and Brentwood Academy alum averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals during the 2025-26 season. Tanner shot 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point distance on the way to earning first-team All-SEC and honorable mention All-America honors.
But unlike Ament, who may wind up a lottery selection in the draft, Tanner’s position isn’t as clear.
ESPN’s most recent mock draft had Ament getting selected 10th and the 6-0, 175-pound Tanner slipping to the second round, No. 32 overall.
If he were to be selected in the second round, Tanner might expect a three-year deal worth between $5.9 and $6.7 million, or a four-year deal worth between $8.7 million to $10 million, per hoopsrumors.com.
But second-round picks aren’t likely to get the same amount of money that first-round selections receive via guaranteed deals.
Tanner would also be likely to get a significant amount of NIL (name, image, likeness) money if he were to return to Vanderbilt, which could also factor into his decision.
The 6-7, 200-pound Nickel averaged 13.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists during the 2025-26 season. He shot 44.5 percent from the field overall, 40 percent from three-point range.
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