The University of Kentucky has won a race to sign the Tall Blacks' youngest international debutant and New Zealand Breakers NBL player Tai Wynyard to a US basketball scholarship.
Aged only 16, the powerful forward has committed to the Kentucky Wildcats after also considering offers from the University of Texas and Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
The exceptional New Zealand schoolboy, standing at 2.03m, debuted last year for the Tall Blacks.
He has impressed during stints for the Breakers in this season's NBL campaign as well as at a number of international camps.
Wynyard isn't paid by the Breakers, protecting his amateur status and making him eligible for the NCAA.
A student at Rangitoto College in Auckland, his presence under the basket belies his age and makes him a sought-after talent.
Wynyard's father Jason is a multiple world champion woodchopper while mother Karmyn earned a US basketball scholarship.
He has agreed to join the Wildcats as a rookie in 2016 although he could yet be re-classified and begin his scholarship later this year.
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