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.”

The Vols are actually in a tough spot here. They’d love to have either player, but there’s no guarantee that either will be at Tennessee next season. Both players could enter the draft. Or Ament could enter the draft and Harris could land at Michigan. There’s a real scenario where the Vols end up with neither player.

And neither player is expected to make a decision on the NBA Draft for another several weeks (that could always change, though).

“You’re looking at another month (for a decision from Ament),” said Price. “These kids are going to go through the NBA Draft process. I think, at minimum, another two to three weeks (for a decision). Same thing with Juke Harris in a lot of ways. And so you’re really at their mercy. That’s the hard part for Rick (Barnes) and company is they could end up with a big late addition, or they could see both end up going to the NBA. Or you could have Nate go to the NBA and Juke come back to college and not pick Tennessee.”

It feels like the Vols really need either Ament or Harris to truly be a championship contender next season.

For now, Tennessee will have to patiently wait for decisions from both players.