Update: Oumar Ballo, the top-ranked transfer in the NCAA portal and a highly sought-after center, has committed to Indiana University instead of visiting Arkansas as previously planned.
Ballo began his college basketball career at Gonzaga before following Tommy Lloyd to Arizona three years ago. He spent the last two seasons as a starter for the Wildcats, averaging 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds in the 2023-24 season.
The 7-foot, 260-pound center is known for his dominance in the paint and impressive rebounding abilities. He attempted over 88% of his shots at the rim last season and had an offensive rebound percentage of 15.1, which ranked in the top percentile of college basketball players.
Ballo's defensive skills are also noteworthy, as he averaged a combined 15.6 rebounds per 40 minutes and had a block rate of 4.9%. However, his limitations become apparent when he is pulled away from the basket and unable to defend the pick-and-roll with anything but a deep drop coverage.
Despite his impressive statistics, Ballo's free throw shooting was below average last season, converting only 49.5% of his attempts.
Ballo's decision to commit to Indiana fills a need for the Hoosiers at the five spot with Kel'el Ware bound for the NBA draft. Indiana coach Mike Woodson has already added Pac-12 Freshman of the Year point guard Myles Rice and five-star forward Bryson Tucker this offseason.
Ballo is not new to high-pressure situations, having played in the Pac-12 and reaching the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament with Arizona. His commitment to Indiana marks a significant addition for Woodson as he looks to rebuild the Hoosiers' roster.
