Corey's Scouting Notebook: Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee - Nate Ament, Tyler Tanner, and More in an SEC Showdown in Nashville
Corey Tulaba shares his in-person scouting takeaways and prospects to watch from the SEC duel between Vanderbilt and Tennessee in Nashville.
Making the trek from New York to Nashville, battling a blizzard on my return home, all to get eyes on potential lotto pick Nate Ament, draft darling Tyler Tanner, and a plethora of NBA prospects? That’s the kind of chaotic scenario that makes me love scouting trips so much. I was lucky enough to stay with and bring my longtime friend, Robert Ragosta, along for the game—fresh off winning his first Grammy as a songwriter for the last Jelly Roll album, I might add.
And man, what a trip it turned out to be. Memorial Gym might be the coolest in-game experience for college hoops I’ve had in a while. From the campus, to the atmosphere, to the unique elevated court—it just absolutely rocks. Add in an in-state rivalry game between Vanderbilt and Tennessee that went down to the wire, and you’ve got the perfect setting for the perfect scout.
We handled business at the game and then dove headfirst into Nashville’s food scene. Skipped the touristy Broadway honky-tonks this time and hit Kayne Prime, a phenomenal steakhouse, and Xiao Bao, a quirky Asian fusion spot that absolutely knocked my socks off.1
This was easily one of my favorite scouting trips of the year: elite hoops, incredible food, and soaking in the culture of Nashville’s music scene with a dude who now literally has a Grammy on his mantle (technically, they haven’t sent the actual trophy yet, but it’s coming). Big time thank you again, to I repeat, freaking Grammy Award-winning songwriter Robert Ragosta. Proud of you, bud!
Below are my thoughts on the most intriguing prospects I scouted at Memorial Gym.
Tyler Tanner — Vanderbilt, Do-It-All Point Guard
Let’s start with the guy I was most eager to see. Tyler Tanner. Small frame, whole lot of game. Tanner has become one of the cycle’s draft darlings, due to his do-it-all statistical profile.
