In one of the most significant moments for Bermudian sport in years, highly-sought after basketball prospect Ralph Scott has committed to the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Scott chose the Volunteers on Tuesday afternoon, selecting them over a final list that included Houston, Purdue, and Texas A&M.
Scott’s journey to becoming a blue-chip recruit—and potentially the first Bermudian men’s player in NCAA Division I basketball history—is anything but traditional.
Born in Connecticut but raised in Bermuda, an island where cricket and soccer dominate, Scott’s passion for basketball was cultivated not by a formal system, but by family history.
"My family has always been into basketball," the 6-foot-8 wing told RTI. "My grandfather coached the Bermuda National basketball team. I’ve always been around him, watching basketball like that and seeing him in that environment."
Scott's early basketball experiences were limited by the scale of the island, which is so small that its entire population couldn't fill a single major US arena. "There’s not a lot of people in Bermuda so I didn’t play organized, in a proper gym basketball until I was like 10 or 11," he explained.
To truly develop his game, Scott made the pivotal decision to move to the United States for high school, first spending a season at Lakeland Christian School before transferring to the elite IMG Academy for his junior and senior years.
The adjustment to the intensity of American prep basketball was a process, but the results have been dramatic. Scott has transformed into a versatile, long-range shooter with significant defensive upside, now ranking among the top 40 prospects in the 2026 class.
"I’ve made a massive improvement in my game," he noted. "My ability to shoot. My ability to stretch the floor. My intensity and defensive presence… has all improved in the last year or two."
By choosing Tennessee, Scott emphasized the influence of veteran coach Rick Barnes, who has a history of developing elite wing players for the professional level.
Scott now walks a path previously uncharted for athletes from the 129th-ranked basketball nation. His commitment not only elevates his own career but represents a historic achievement for Bermudian sport.
"I feel like, just being able to learn from someone that’s had that much success with players at my position and putting them in the next level—it would be crazy not to pick the guy who has the most accomplishments," he concluded.
