Everyone thought he was leaving town, but in a surprise announcement Monday morning, Briarcrest Christian High School standout Austin Nichols decided to take his talents to the University of Memphis.

The 6-foot-8, 215-pound, five-star prospect is considered the 12th best high school recruit by ESPN.com.

The highly recruited Nichols selected the Tigers, ranked 16th in the nation in a preseason NCAA basketball poll, over Tennessee, Duke, and Vanderbilt.

He is the sixth high school student-athlete to commit to Memphis from the Class of 2013.