Oumar Ballo’s second trip into the transfer portal was nothing like his first. The first time around, the 7-foot center knew exactly where he was headed and didn’t need much convincing. The second time around, Ballo had to dig, and then dig some more, and then just when he thought he was done digging — yep, he dug even further.
For the No. 2-ranked transfer this offseason, it might come as a surprise that Ballo didn’t have at least have an idea of where he might end up when he entered the portal. But entering his final year of college eligibility, Ballo needed to be sure that wherever he ended his college career, he wouldn’t regret his decision for even a moment.
It was a stark departure from 2021, when Ballo transferred from Gonzaga to Arizona without much, if any hesitation. After former Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd was hired to be Arizona’s next head coach, Ballo followed one of his most trusted coaches from one stop to the next. It was, for all intents and purposes, the easiest transfer process that a player could go through…