There have been many highly touted players that hit the transfer portal after the 2023-24 season concluded. But one transfer portal player in particular, who starred in his role last year at Arizona, made his long-awaiting transfer decision on Tuesday.
For the past two seasons, Arizona center Oumar Ballo has been a standout player at the collegiate level, making the All-Pac-12 first-team each of the last two years. This past season, he averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds while shooting nearly 66 percent from the field.
Ballo is widely regarded to be one of if not the best players in the transfer portal class. So naturally, there were plenty awaiting his decision on where he would be playing next season.
It was a bit of a surprising decision to most. According to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Ballo has decided to transfer to Indiana University to be coached by former NBA head coach Mike Woodson.
BREAKING: Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo — the No. 1 player in the portal — has committed to Indiana, he told ESPN. Ballo is a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection, averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds this past season, shooting nearly 66% from the field. pic.twitter.com/HQGcVmdiZA
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 16, 2024
Indiana was of course once revered as a college basketball powerhouse for years under the late Bobby Knight. But as of late, they have been anything but, missing out on the NCAA Tournament this past season in the third year under Woodson.
One factor that may have gone into this decision is Indiana’s recent success with quality big men at the program. Former Indiana player turned Golden State Warriors big man Trayce Jackson-Davis recently parlayed a very successful career at the collegiate level into an NBA career.
Ballo will look to do the same next season, and he will have some help in doing so. He will be joining the program alongside former Washington State guard Myles Rice, who also decided to transfer to the program as ranked as the No. 17 player in this year’s transfer portal.
Indiana lands the top player in the transfer portal, Oumar Ballo.
The Hoosiers now have two (2) transfer commits ranked in the Top 20 nationally:
1. Oumar Ballo
17. Myles RiceIU is the ONLY school with multiple Top 20 transfer portal commitments.
BIG moves in Bloomington. https://t.co/VTtJsBxAW6
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) April 16, 2024
With these two players set to join the program, Indiana could certainly be a team to watch out of the Big Ten next season.
