Gonzaga Basketball: Oumar Ballo could be hidden gem for Zags in 2020-21

Gonzaga Basketball looks to be the early team to beat heading into the 2020-21 season; their roster is stacked from top to bottom. Amid all their talent, though, lies a potential hidden gem by the name of Oumar Ballo.

Last year’s FIBA U19 World Cup was a solid showing for Gonzaga Basketball fans; that’s evident by the fact that one of their star players, Joel Ayayi, walked away from the event with placement on the All-Tournament Team. This shouldn’t come to much surprise though; Ayayi’s talents are no secret – even when on a global scale.

What might be more of a surprise to some, though, is that he was not the only Zag to score a spot on the FIBA All-Tournament team. Right alongside him was a player who has yet to take the floor to Gonzaga (hence, the surprise): 6-foot-10, 260-pound big man Oumar Ballo.

In fact, Ballo might have even shown out more than his star teammate last year. The two met in a Mali (Ballo) vs. France (Ayayi) semi-final game in which Mali came out victorious, 76-73. Ayayi did not have his best performance (8 points on 20 percent shooting) while Ballo was arguably the game MVP, scoring 17 points while also grabbing 11 boards.

Those accustomed to Ayayi’s greatness, while being unaware of Ballo’s, might be shocked by that turnout. Those knowledgable of Ballo’s game though, and why it has garnered him the moniker of “Baby Shaq” according to some, might be numb to that same information. “Well, of course, that happened. Ballo is great,” they might respond.

And Ballo is great, it’s just that his greatness is rather secretive. Considering he’s apart of what might be the most loaded Gonzaga Basketball roster in history only helps that cause. That being said, on a roster that could have upwards of five NBA prospects next year, Ballo still deserves plenty of hype and high expectations.

Ballo was listed as the top international prospect in 2019 by ESPN’s respected Jonathon Givony (according to his page on Gonzaga’s website), and that is for good reason. Despite redshirting for the Zags last season, Ballo is still only a young 17 years old. And despite only being so young, he has a ferocious basketball frame. Again, he stands at 6-foot-10, 260-pounds while also having an eye-popping 7-foot-6 wingspan. That would place him in the upper echelon of NBA wingspans (just falling short of Andre Drummond’s 7-foot-6.25 wingspan).

That is where the intrigue around Ballo, for Zags fans, should begin – but not end. He has prototypical size, but he also uses that size to be a prototypical player.

He is an exceptional rim runner; there lies his strongest calling card. His long frame makes him an ideal lob threat when rolling to the basket and he is a hassle to try and deny when inside. Almost any pass is reachable to him, whether if he is catching a lob or a simple post dump. He’s also just as imposing once he catches the ball (he didn’t get the “Baby Shaq” nickname for nothing). The way he can overwhelm defenders when backing them down or rising up is certainly reminiscent of a young Shaquille O’Neal, though not to the same degree (because come on, it’s Shaq).

He also holds a similar value (around the rim) on the defensive end as well. At the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Ballo averaged an incredible 3.8 blocks per game for Mali. He is a Presence (yes, with a capital “P”) when inside for opposing offenders. He’s a relatively smart shot contester as well (who shouldn’t get in foul trouble), and while he might sometimes unnecessarily chase blocks, he constant disruption of opponent shot attempts will be great for Gonzaga.

Combine his rim running ability with his rim protection ability, along with his rebounding prowess and willingness to set screens, you have a great role big man who’s easy to plug into any rotation. Gonzaga is a team with no shortage of star power; a player of Ballo’s mold should be a welcoming presence in their lineup for that reason. He should fit right in next year.

A fair comparison for Ballo might fall along the lines of the Clint Capella mold, but his game could (and arguably already has) expand much further for Gonzaga as early as next year.

At the FIBA World Cup last year, Ballo showed he can be more than just a one-dimensional rim running big man (not that that’s a bad thing). He showed that he could be a versatile post threat under more development. On numerous occasions, he was making smart passing reads off of double teams and even displayed a solid (yet raw) post fadeaway game.

Again, Ballo making the FIBA All-Tournament Team alongside star teammate Ayayi was no mistake or mishap. He is the real deal. Gonzaga fans have a lot to be excited about next year (they, of course, have their highest ever ranked recruit to root for in Jalen Suggs) but Ballo should still rank rather high on their “things to celebrate” list; no matter what his role is.

Barttorvik only projects that Ballo will receive 16 percent of Gonzaga Basketball’s minutes for the 2020-21 season (which speaks to the Zags and their depth). That’s a small role compared to what he played for Mali, but now knowing Ballo, he has the skillset to make the most of whatever he is given (and the odds he finds more minutes remains very likely). His teammates, especially those who have competed against him like Ayayi, would likely attest to that.