Ralph Scott has chosen University of Tennessee as his college of choice to further his basketball career.

Flanked by his coaches and team-mates at IMG Academy in Florida, Scott made the announcement live on CBS Sports College Basketball. The 17-year-old, who became the first Bermudian to make a selection on television, told the audience he chose Tennessee because he liked what he saw during his official visit on September 15.

“I will be playing my basketball at University of Tennessee,” Scott announced to cheers.

“It was definitely the environment that was there. It was a family environment and a very close-knit group.

“Obviously, I was able to build a great relationship with coach [Rick] Barnes after just meeting and speaking to him during the visit, which was really impressive to me and I really cherish that bond that I was able to build with him.”

In his message to Vols fans, the 6ft 7in forward informed them that they are getting an athlete eager to assist the team reach its goals.

“I would say you're getting just a guy who's willing to work, willing to put in an effort to be as good as he can be and help the team as much as he can,” he said.

“I feel like I've shown that through these last couple years and I'm just excited to work.”

Scott had whittled down the list to four, with Purdue, Houston and Texas A&M the institutions to miss out on his services.

His mother, Shanay Scott, who was unable to be at her son’s side during the announcement because her flights to the US were cancelled as a result of the impending arrival of Hurricane Imelda, joined the broadcast live with the rest of her family and some of Ralph’s former classmates at Warwick Academy. She praised her son for being level-headed during the recruitment process.

“Ralph, I am extremely proud of you,” she said. “Your maturity in all of this process is mind-blowing for me. I'm proud of you and just keep working hard, stay humble and keep God first.”

It has been an unbelievable few months for the Connecticut-born rising star after he was named MVP at the Basketball Without Borders Americas camp in San Salvador, El Salvador.

He came home to play for the national under-17 team against Radiant Sun, a touring team from New Jersey before he was one of more than 80 blossoming stars from around the world to compete at the NBA Academy Games, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia, in July.

It was after his exploits in Georgia, where his 77 points placed him sixth overall and the 12 blocks he made ranked him fifth best, that offers started flooding in.

Before making the announcement, the talented youngster was also part of the IMG Academy’s team for the NBA Academy Showcase in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, last week.

During his announcement, Scott paid tribute to those who have played a huge part in his journey.

“So first, I'd like to thank God for this opportunity and the blessings that He's given, because without Him, none of this would have been possible,” the Tennessee recruit said.

“I'd like to thank my grandpa [Ralph Scott]. He's the best trainer, coach and father figure that I could ever ask for. He pushed me everyday to be as good as he knows I can be and it's just been so great for me.

“My mum, I want to say thank you for supporting me and believing in me when no one else did.

“You helped me through injuries, put me through school and cared for me, whether I had two points or 20 points. I want to say I'm forever grateful for you and your sacrifices that have been made.

“To my grandma [Carla Scott], I want to say thank you for being my No 1 supporter and best friend.

“All the prayers and love that you've shown me over these years have guided me to this point and this opportunity.

“To my auntie [Shari Scott], you're the best hype woman, planner, manager and super fan that I could have. I'm very grateful for you supporting me towards this moment and just helping me fit in.

“Thank you to all of my coaches that have coached me over the years to help me develop, and all the knowledge of the game that they've put in me allowed me to get where I am.

“And to my friends and team-mates who have made the tough days a little bit easier and provided me with great memories.

“Thank you to my country, to Bermuda, and the people for supporting me through all of this and believing in me. This is a great opportunity. And then finally, thank you to all the coaches that took time to recruit me in this process. I'm very grateful for the opportunity.”