University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Eight VFLs Make Opening Day NBA Rosters
October 19, 2026 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Eight players who concluded their college careers at the University of Tennessee are on opening day NBA rosters, as released by teams across the league Monday night.
Nate Ament, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tobias Harris, Chaz Lanier, Jahmai Mashack, Felix Okpara, Julian Phillips and Grant Williams all made the cut for their respective teams.
Ament is a rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks, who traded for his rights after the Miami Heat selected him at No. 13 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. A Second Team All-SEC performer in his lone season on Rocky Top in 2025-26, Ament is the highest-drafted player out of Tennessee since Marcus Haislip in 2002.
Gillespie is a rookie on a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs, who selected him with the No. 42 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. A native of nearby Greeneville, Tenn., Gillespie claimed First Team All-SEC plaudits from the league's coaches and SEC Newcomer of the Year from the Associated Press in 2025-26, his only season at Tennessee.
Harris is also on the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he inked a two-year, $31 million deal this offseason. The No. 19 pick the 2011 NBA Draft, Harris is entering his 16th NBA season and owns over 16,000 points. Only 12 players on opening day roster have appeared in more NBA games than Harris (1,033), who was a Second Team All-SEC choice by the coaches in 2010-11.
Lanier is entering his second season with the Detroit Pistons, for whom he appeared in 34 games last year after they picked him with the No. 37 choice in the 2025 draft. Hailing from nearby Nashville, Tenn., Lanier won the Jerry West Award and set a program record with 123 made 3-pointers in 2024-25, his lone season at Tennessee.
Mashack is headed into his second campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies, who gave him a two-way contract after acquiring his rights as the No. 59 pick in 2025. Mashack, who played in 31 NBA games last year and recorded a triple-double, is the co-winningest four-year player in Tennessee history (109) and was a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25.
Okpara is a rookie on a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards, who acquired his rights from the Orlando Magic, who picked him at No. 46 in 2026. He averaged 1.59 blocks per game in two years at Tennessee, the second-best mark in program history, and was an SEC All-Defensive Team designee in 2025-26.
Phillips is on a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets, after spending his first three NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, the latter of whom acquired his rights as the No. 35 selection in 2023. Phillips, who has played in 167 NBA games, was an SEC All-Freshman Team choice in his lone year at Tennessee in 2022-23.
Williams is entering his third full season with his hometown Charlotte Hornets. This will be his eighth year in the NBA after going No. 22 overall in the 2019 draft following a three-year career at Tennessee during which he twice won SEC Player of the Year. Across campaigns with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks and Hornets, Williams has amassed nearly 3,000 NBA points and notched 111 starts.
The 2026-27 NBA season begins Tuesday with three games, two of which feature at least one Volunteer.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
VFL NBA Opening Game Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 20
3 p.m. on NBC/Peacock: Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (Lanier)
9:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock: Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (Gillespie/Harris)
Wednesday, Oct. 21
7 p.m.: Milwaukee Bucks (Ament) at Washington Wizards (Okpara)
7:30 p.m.: Charlotte Hornets (Williams) and Brooklyn Nets
8 p.m.: Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies (Mashack)
8:30 p.m.: Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets (Phillips)
Nate Ament, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tobias Harris, Chaz Lanier, Jahmai Mashack, Felix Okpara, Julian Phillips and Grant Williams all made the cut for their respective teams.
Ament is a rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks, who traded for his rights after the Miami Heat selected him at No. 13 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. A Second Team All-SEC performer in his lone season on Rocky Top in 2025-26, Ament is the highest-drafted player out of Tennessee since Marcus Haislip in 2002.
Gillespie is a rookie on a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs, who selected him with the No. 42 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. A native of nearby Greeneville, Tenn., Gillespie claimed First Team All-SEC plaudits from the league's coaches and SEC Newcomer of the Year from the Associated Press in 2025-26, his only season at Tennessee.
Harris is also on the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he inked a two-year, $31 million deal this offseason. The No. 19 pick the 2011 NBA Draft, Harris is entering his 16th NBA season and owns over 16,000 points. Only 12 players on opening day roster have appeared in more NBA games than Harris (1,033), who was a Second Team All-SEC choice by the coaches in 2010-11.
Lanier is entering his second season with the Detroit Pistons, for whom he appeared in 34 games last year after they picked him with the No. 37 choice in the 2025 draft. Hailing from nearby Nashville, Tenn., Lanier won the Jerry West Award and set a program record with 123 made 3-pointers in 2024-25, his lone season at Tennessee.
Mashack is headed into his second campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies, who gave him a two-way contract after acquiring his rights as the No. 59 pick in 2025. Mashack, who played in 31 NBA games last year and recorded a triple-double, is the co-winningest four-year player in Tennessee history (109) and was a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25.
Okpara is a rookie on a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards, who acquired his rights from the Orlando Magic, who picked him at No. 46 in 2026. He averaged 1.59 blocks per game in two years at Tennessee, the second-best mark in program history, and was an SEC All-Defensive Team designee in 2025-26.
Phillips is on a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets, after spending his first three NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, the latter of whom acquired his rights as the No. 35 selection in 2023. Phillips, who has played in 167 NBA games, was an SEC All-Freshman Team choice in his lone year at Tennessee in 2022-23.
Williams is entering his third full season with his hometown Charlotte Hornets. This will be his eighth year in the NBA after going No. 22 overall in the 2019 draft following a three-year career at Tennessee during which he twice won SEC Player of the Year. Across campaigns with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks and Hornets, Williams has amassed nearly 3,000 NBA points and notched 111 starts.
The 2026-27 NBA season begins Tuesday with three games, two of which feature at least one Volunteer.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
VFL NBA Opening Game Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 20
3 p.m. on NBC/Peacock: Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (Lanier)
9:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock: Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (Gillespie/Harris)
Wednesday, Oct. 21
7 p.m.: Milwaukee Bucks (Ament) at Washington Wizards (Okpara)
7:30 p.m.: Charlotte Hornets (Williams) and Brooklyn Nets
8 p.m.: Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies (Mashack)
8:30 p.m.: Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets (Phillips)
Players Mentioned
Monday, October 19
Monday, October 19
Friday, October 16
Thursday, October 15
