Indiana sixth-year center Oumar Ballo has been tabbed to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, the league announced Tuesday afternoon. The 10-player conference preseason team was determined by a media vote. Purdue point guard Braden Smith was named Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.
Ten different players representing 10 different schools made it on the preseason list. Along with Ballo and Smith, they’re joined by Penn State point guard Ace Baldwin Jr.; Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer; Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia; Rutgers guard Dylan Harper; Washington forward Great Osobor; Iowa forward Payton Sandfort; Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad; and Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton.
Ballo is ranked the No. 2 overall transfer and No. 1 transfer center according to 247Sports. He is a part of Indiana’s six-player transfer haul, which is ranked No. 2 nationally, and includes guard Kanaan Carlyle, guard Myles Rice, wing Luke Goode, forward Langdon Hatton and center Dallas James.
Last season as a fifth-year senior, Ballo started 36 games at Arizona and averaged 12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He shot 65.8% from the field on all 2-point attempts and 49.5% at the free-throw line.
Ballo’s career-best campaign came as a junior in the 2022-23 season when he averaged 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game. He shot 64.7% from the field and 56.5% at the free-throw line.
The Mali native began has career at Gonzaga, redshirting in the 2019-20 season and appearing in 24 games off the bench in the 2020-21 season. Ballo transferred to Arizona ahead of the 2021-22 season and spent three years as a key frontcourt player for the Wildcats.
For his career, Ballo has played in 132 games with 71 starts, averaging 9.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. His career field-goal percentage is 64.6% while never attempting a 3-pointer, and he’s shot 56.4% at the free-throw line.
Ballo was named First Team Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Tournament team and was on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.
Below is the full press release from IU Athletics:
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team as determined by a media vote, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Ballo, a transfer from Arizona, was twice named to the All-Pac-12 First Team, a two-time All-Pac-12 Tournament Team selection, a 2023-24 All-Pac-12 Defensive Team addition, and was tabbed as the Pac-12 Most Improved Player following the 2022-23 season. He was also touted as the Preseason Big Ten Newcomer of the Year, Preseason All-Big Ten, and Preseason All-America Fourth Team by Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
The Koulikoro, Mali, native averaged 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocked shots in three seasons with the Wildcats. He shot 64.6% (466-of-721) from the floor and collected 34 career double-doubles. The 7-0, 265-pound center holds a record of 112-20 in 132 games played throughout his collegiate career.
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Braden Smith, Purdue
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Great Osobor, Washington
Payton Sandfort, Iowa
Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
BRADEN SMITH, PURDUE*
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
