The Indiana Hoosiers have added a new player to their roster for the upcoming season. Oumar Ballo, a 7-foot center who was ranked as the top player in the transfer portal this spring, has committed to play at Indiana. Ballo spent the past three seasons at Arizona and was considered one of the best big men in the Pac-12. He started his college career at Gonzaga before transferring to Arizona to follow head coach Tommy Lloyd in 2021.
In his last two seasons at Arizona, Ballo averaged a double-double with 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He had an impressive performance during the Sweet 16, scoring 15 points and pulling down 15 rebounds in a loss to Clemson. Ballo entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer last week and will now join Mike Woodson at Indiana for his final year of eligibility.
Indiana had a tough season last year, going 19-14 and missing out on the NCAA tournament for the first time under Woodson’s leadership. Despite talks of parting ways with Woodson, the school decided to retain him for another season. Joining Ballo on the team is former Washington State guard Myles Rice, who committed to Indiana on Saturday after an impressive freshman year with the Cougars. Rice was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and averaged 14.8 points and 3.8 assists per game during his freshman year.
The addition of these two players should provide a significant boost to Woodson’s team as they prepare for what promises to be a competitive Big Ten conference next season.
In summary, Oumar Ballo, who was ranked as the top player in the transfer portal this spring, has committed to play at Indiana next season after spending three seasons at Arizona where he was considered one of the best big men in the Pac-12
