Amid the now-yearly college basketball transfer portal merry-go-round, Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo wanted in on the fun.
Currently listed as the No. 1 player in the portal by 247Sports, the two-time All-Pac-12 selection will be highly sought after by programs across the country. Although unlikely, some view Colorado as a candidate to snag Ballo.
College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton named five potential landing spots for Ballo and the Buffs were mentioned alongside North Carolina, Arkansas, Oregon and Illinois.
In his reasoning, Patton wrote that Ballo would be a strong replacement for departing transfer Eddie Lampkin Jr.:
Lampkin hit the portal again and transferred to Syracuse, however, and with Cody Williams headed to the NBA there is plenty of room for a big man to join Tad Boyle’s team and take on a high usage rate on the block. Colorado may not have the allure of a North Carolina or Arkansas, but the Buffs have a healthy history of productive big men in Boyle’s tenure and Ballo could thrive in the black and gold while helping them transition into the Big 12.
Sure, it’s hard to imagine Ballo in a Colorado uniform due to the Buffs transitioning to the Big 12 with a deteriorating lineup. Boyle’s program also fails to possess the name, image and likeness resources of those four other schools.
However, the more than Ballo-sized holes on CU’s roster would allow the center to cook. Colorado’s offense also favors Ballo’s playstyle as Patton mentioned, making Boulder suddenly seem more realistic. Plus, the Buffs know Ballo’s game better than most having faced the former Pac-12 Most Improved Player the past three seasons.
While it’ll be a battle for any school to land the talented transfer for his fifth year of college hoops, Ballo must ultimately decide whether the lure of opportunity and fit outweigh other factors.
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