Preseason college basketball recognition season is here, and IU big man Oumar Ballo was honored in multiple ways by the Blue Ribbon Yearbook released this week.
The sixth-year senior center was named Preseason Big Ten Newcomer of the Year, Preseason All-Big Ten, and Preseason All-America Fourth Team by Blue Ribbon.
“Oumar is a dominating post presence on both ends of the floor with a winning background,” IU coach Mike Woodson said when Ballo signed with the Hoosiers. “His experience playing at the highest level will elevate our program. He is a big fella with soft touch around the rim, good hands, and solid footwork. He is very physical and is a perfect fit in our system and our league.”
The 7-0, 260-pound center averaged 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in three seasons at Arizona. He shot 64.6% (466-of-721) from the floor and posted 34 double-doubles, third most in Arizona basketball history. He was one of 10 players in program history to accumulate at least 1,000 career points and 800 career rebounds.
Ballo was twice named to the All-Pac-12 First Team, selected to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team two times, and voted to a pair of Pac-12 All-Tournament Teams. He was named the 2022-23 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, the 2022 Maui Invitational Most Outstanding Player, and the 2021-22 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year.
Ballo began his career at Gonzaga with a redshirt season in 2019-20 before earning a spot in the rotation for a Bulldog program that finished 31-1, won both the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Championship game.
Overall, Ballo has won 84.8% (112-of-132) of the games he has appeared in throughout his career.
Indiana opens the 2024-25 season on Nov. 6 against SIU-Edwardsville in Bloomington.
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