Kel’el Ware’s breakout as a sophomore at Indiana was a bright spot in a season of otherwise underwhelming results.
The 7-footer from North Little Rock, Arkansas, was a prized piece in the spring 2023 transfer portal cycle. However, after a disappointing freshman season at Oregon, there was uncertainty about what Ware could produce at the Big Ten level.
Ware answered any doubts resoundingly. In 30 games for the Hoosiers, Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks and earned All-Big Ten second-team honors.
The Miami Heat selected him as the No. 15 pick in June’s NBA draft and he was a standout in the NBA Summer League. This was a clear win for Ware and Indiana from a development perspective.
But Ware’s ascent left Indiana with a significant offseason hole to fill in its frontcourt. Like the Indiana staff did when it landed Ware in the spring of 2023, it aimed high this past spring.
Mali native Oumar Ballo, who began his career at Gonzaga before blossoming at Arizona, entered the transfer portal on Monday, April 8.
Just eight days later, Ballo committed to Indiana.
While there are fair questions about the fit of Ballo next to Malik Reneau, there’s no question Indiana landed one of the most dominant frontcourt players in the country.
The 7-foot, 260-pound center was among the nation’s best centers in the last two seasons. In Arizona’s 2022-23 season, Ballo averaged 14.2 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 64.7 percent from the field.
Last season, he averaged a double-double – 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds – and shot an even more efficient 65.8 percent. Ballo had 20 double-doubles last season. He was an All-Pac-12 first-team selection the previous two seasons.
Mike Woodson and the Indiana staff have had dominant big men in the lineup the last three seasons in Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kel’el Ware. The trend will continue this winter in Bloomington when Ballo is paired with Reneau.
So how does Ballo’s arrival shape Indiana’s outlook as Woodson attempts to guide the Hoosiers back to the NCAA tournament?
Ballo’s rebounding should help the Hoosiers tremendously on both ends. Ware was a major asset on the glass a season ago, finishing the season with an offensive rebounding percentage of 8 and a defensive rebounding percentage of 26.1, which was 30th best in the country.
Ballo’s rebounding numbers were even more impressive. His defensive rebounding percentage was similar to Ware’s — 26.9 — but he was on another level on the offensive boards. Ballo finished the season with the nation’s 15th-best offensive rebounding percentage, at 15.2.
For an Indiana program that finished just 254th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage as a team and 211th in defensive rebounding, Ballo will help those numbers.
Offensively, Ballo isn’t dynamic like Jackson-Davis or Ware, two surefire NBA players. His efficiency numbers overall were solid – he shot 65.8 percent last season on 2s. He drew a ton of fouls – 5.8 per 40 minutes, according to KenPom – but only converted at a 49.5 percent clip from the stripe. According to Synergy Sports, his points per possession on post-ups last season (.972) were less efficient than Ware’s (1.068).
The key to maximizing Ballo’s effectiveness will be how Indiana utilizes him. He’s most efficient when pinning his man deep in the post. According to Synergy, Ballo scored 1.33 points per possession on post pins compared to .819 points per possession when going to his left shoulder or .973 points per possession going to his right shoulder.
Reneau’s passing also benefits Ballo. Last season, Reneau developed strong chemistry with Ware, often finding him for favorable looks in the paint or throwing him lobs. Indiana hopes Reneau and Ballo can create similar chemistry by playing off each other, with Reneau as the primary post-up option and Ballo looking for lobs or putbacks from missed shots.
“He does a lot of nice things,” Woodson said of Ballo at Huber’s Winery in late May. “He doesn’t have to have the ball a lot like I featured Trayce (Jackson-Davis) when he was here. He doesn’t have to have it a lot, but I’m going to utilize him. It’d be crazy not to.”
After spending his first four seasons at Gonzaga and Arizona, Ballo arrives at Indiana expecting to win. Over his career, the teams Ballo has played on have compiled a 119-21 record.
As a freshman, he was part of a Gonzaga team that advanced to the national championship game. He also reached the Sweet Sixteen twice at Arizona and won two Pac-12 regular-season titles and two conference tournament titles.
“He’s won. He’s been in a winning atmosphere at Arizona and he’s produced,” Woodson said. “He’s had some good years. He’s an older guy that’s serious about winning. That was the whole thing that attracted me to him. And that’s why he’s wearing an Indiana uniform, man, because I think he can help us with his leadership, get to where I want to go and that’s winning a Big Ten title and a national title.”
Filed to: Oumar Ballo
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