OB: After winning the African Championship, we believed we could do more. It’ll all probably come together at the right time.”. That was my goal and I went to Spain for one year getting ready day by day. Note: Please NOTE a NAME & NUMBER jersey which you want to customize at checkout page. What is your feeling about the current situation? So if we made it to the final, why not winning the Championship? 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. Ballo, nicknamed “Baby Shaq” because of his hulking 6-foot-10, 260-pound frame at a young age, has been ruled an academic redshirt by the NCAA, according to a GU release. ", TM © Olympic Channel Services S.L. He was a monster. "I just feel like anything I do on this planet is just to make her proud and happy. Ballo returned to Washington State, eager to make his debut for the Bulldogs where Hachimura Rui made his name. OB: Our first day of training, the coach told us that the team we have this year is the best and we have a great opportunity to make history for our school. “Oumar is a tremendous young man and an intelligent student,” Zags coach Mark Few said. Latest on Gonzaga Bulldogs center Oumar Ballo including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN PRODUCT DETAILS 30-50% OFF + US Fast Shipping For A Limited Time Week Only! It's not because I am Oumar and I play for Gonzaga that everybody loves me. 1. I feel really confident about what's going to happen in the future. OB: That’s the big question. We have also made our younger brothers believe that they can do anything they want. There are thousands of people in Mali, but they only sent the 12 of us. I was the only guy who was in Spain and playing in other leagues and a different style of game. Pavel Zakharov, a 6-11, 235-pound freshman, played quality minutes against the Spartans. The presumed starters are senior Killian Tillie, who is expected to return soon from an Oct. 3 knee surgery, and sophomore Filip Petrusev. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — As Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi dribbled to the top of the key, teammate Andrew Nembhard faked a down screen and flared to the corner. Then I can provide kids opportunities to achieve what I did or do even better than what I did. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)As Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi dribbled to the top of the key, teammate Andrew Nembhard faked a down screen and flared to the corner. OB: I feel that getting to the NBA is not hard but staying in the NBA is the hardest job. We don’t know what is going to happen in the next couple of months. I returned and posted some big numbers and took the team to the final. OB: I'm really blessed that the people around me are very good people. The NCAA said they would let Colleges and Universities support the fight for social justice. You find like a local team has three players called Ballo because they think that I'm someone special and they feel that if they're good, just like me, they can make Mali succeed. I was in love with soccer and I played it for so long until I realised that I'm getting taller and it’s getting harder on the pitch. I feel like we can do more than that. I grew up in a small one, three siblings, no difficulties and we were very close. The defense played the pick-and-roll perfectly, giving Ayayi […] I went there and succeeded, that's why it is the biggest accomplishment of my life and very special. - Oumar Ballo on Hachimura Rui. People protesting, police shootings…it’s frustrating. You have an impressive roster this season. Only 16-years old but will enroll this summer. My dad is 2.01m and my mum is 1.85m. This is an opportunity for him to become a highly successful student-athlete.”. Gonzaga tweaked its rotation and allocation of minutes slightly without Ballo and cruised past San Diego 90-62 and Pepperdine 97-75. There are so many Ballo Junior, Baby Ballo, the reason is that they think I'm special. The defense played the pick-and-roll perfectly, giving Ayayi no room to shoot, Ballo no space to receive a … PRODUCT DETAILS Best Use: College Basketball Jerseys 2021 Sleeve Length: Short Primary Material: Polyester Size: - Men's: S,M,L,XL,2XL,3XL - Women's: S,M,L,XL,2XL - Youth: S,M,L,XL Pattern: Breathable, Quick Dry, Embroidery and 100% Stitched If you want to custom, please contact with us. OC: Then in 2018 you starred at the Under-17 World Cup. OC: Were your parents supportive of your new sport? I had some bad games. I liked to play soccer more because that’s where all my friends were. This time it was different. Ballo’s absence cuts into the Zags’ frontcourt depth, but they still have five bigs. Then I started learning the plays and making basketball part of my life. N/A. I can't fail her so I have to do everything to achieve what she sent me out to do, for the sake of my family. OC: When did you first earn your earn call up to the national team? OC: What do you hope to achieve if you get to the NBA? I have a big mission to prove to people that I deserve this nickname and will live up to the name." Bulldogs big man Oumar Ballo, after skirting past Nembhard, ran up to set a screen for Ayayi and rolled toward the basket. My brother was already playing basketball and he always wanted me to try it out, but I felt it was not my thing. OC: Gonzaga has been the top ten team every year but never won the national title. But men's basketball was dead and I feel like my generation just gave purpose and hope not only for the Malian people but for Africa and the world. Oumar Ballo (born 13 July 2002) is a Malian college basketball player for the Gonzaga Bulldogs of the West Coast Conference (WCC). That's motivating for me." Victims will also feel we are supporting their cause. OC: When and how did you get into sports? “Oumar is a great young man,” Roth said. People gave me this name. Roth confirmed earlier this month that Ballo hadn’t been cleared by the NCAA, explaining at the time that GU submitted paperwork to the NCAA but there were numerous challenges throughout the process. OC: What should we expect from Baby Shaq? OB: To be called Baby Shaq is something big because everybody knows who Shaq was. Sleeve Length: Short Themes: College Basketball 2021 I went there for a couple of years. OC: You have had success with Mali's junior teams. NOTE: Please note a number and name jersey which you want to customize at checkout page … People protesting, police shootings…it’s frustrating. 2020-21 WCC Standings. OC: How were you able to just get past the mental anguish and remain focused on the goal ahead? OB: Honestly, every day before I go to sleep, I have to check Facebook to see what's happening in my country. I was proud to be part of that generation that brought back the trophy.". Oumar Ballo - 2019 5 Star Center for NBA Academy Latin America (Mali, ) on Rivals.com ... Gonzaga. I went back to playing soccer and then a month later, I returned to the court. It was my first time for the national team and probably the best moment I have experienced since I started playing basketball. So first what makes me special is just my personality off the court. 2019 was a year of mixed emotions for Oumar Ballo. People have a lot of expectation of you. In your opinion why is it that the numbers of basketballers coming out of Africa is not so big? African youngsters never had the chance to improve themselves, have the skills and know the game. I made sure that all my team-mates and I were all on the same page and staying focused during these 10-12 days. It was not that hard for us on the court - our hardest game was the final against Egypt which we won by 12 points. I stayed there for a couple of years and then two years ago I moved to Mexico City for nine months. N’Faly Dante, a 6-foot-11 center from Mali, announced nearly two weeks ago that he would enroll at Oregon in mid December because he hadn’t been cleared by the NCAA. I was ready and when I got there I saw the guys improve a lot. He will be a significant asset to our program. Only the two of us play basketball. Ballo developed into a top international prospect the last few years before committing to Gonzaga last February. “I had days that I was mentally broken down… and I was in the darkest place I've ever been basketball-wise.” - Oumar Ballo. Opening up in an exclusive interview with Olympic Channel, the 2.08m teen prodigy called it the "darkest moment" of his five-year basketball career. Latest on Gonzaga Bulldogs center Oumar Ballo including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN. OB: Growing up when I was young, I idolised Shaquille O'Neal because I was big-bodied, huge and dominated the game like him. Get the latest news, stats and more about Oumar Ballo on RealGM.com At the U-19 World Cup, I missed two games. How huge was that for you? After the U-16 when I went back to Spain, every day I had in my mind, "I'm going to play at the World Cup. But at the same time, I want peace and all the protesters to be safe. Freshman center Oumar Ballo’s debut for Gonzaga has been pushed back a year. That was my main goal. I loved it and it was a little bit scary because we had a good team but not many guys had experience of playing at a high level. OC: What if there is no season to play for this year? 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