Rwanda has appointed NBA rookie Nate Ament as its Global Basketball Ambassador, reinforcing the country’s strategy of leveraging sport to strengthen its international profile and promote the Visit Rwanda brand.
The appointment, announced through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), comes just days after the 19-year-old, who has Rwandan heritage, secured his place in the National Basketball Association (NBA), becoming one of the few players of Rwandan descent to reach the world’s premier basketball league.
Nathaniel Herman Ament was born on December 10, 2006, in Virginia, United States, to an American father and a Rwandan mother.
Ament was selected 13th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he is expected to make his NBA debut in the upcoming season.
The 2.08-metre (6 ft 10 in) forward starred for the Tennessee Volunteers, earning NBA recognition after an outstanding college season in which he averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game.
His appointment builds on Rwanda’s continued investment in sports diplomacy, with the country using high-profile athletes and international sporting partnerships to boost its global visibility and attract tourism and investment through the Visit Rwanda initiative.
Although born and raised in the United States, Ament has maintained close ties to his maternal homeland. In 2025, he visited Rwanda and met with the Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire, in a visit that highlighted his connection to the country.
As Rwanda’s Global Basketball Ambassador, Ament is expected to help showcase the country on the international basketball stage while inspiring the next generation of young Rwandan athletes.
