Indiana basketball center Oumar Ballo named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watchlist

Just like that, another Indiana basketball player has been added to a preseason award watchlist.

Per a Indiana basketball release, senior center Oumar Ballo was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watchlist, and honor given to the nation’s top center.

Ballo was also named to the Naismith Player of the Year preseason watch list, as well.

Below is the full release.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the preseason watchlist for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, including Indiana sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo, on Friday.

Named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watchlist of 20 athletes.

The winner of the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), in addition to the Women’s Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).

The 7-0, 260-pound center averaged 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in three seasons at Arizona. He shot 64.6% (466-of-721) from the floor and posted 34 double-doubles, third most in Arizona basketball history. He was one of 10 players in program history to accumulate at least 1,000 career points and 800 career rebounds.

Ballo was twice named to the All-Pac-12 First Team, selected to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team two times, and voted to a pair of Pac-12 All-Tournament Teams. He was named the 2022-23 Pac-12 Most Improved Player, the 2022 Maui Invitational Most Outstanding Player, and the 2021-22 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year.

Ballo began his career at Gonzaga with a redshirt season in 2019-20 before earning a spot in the rotation for a Bulldog program that finished 31-1, won both the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Championship game. Overall, Ballo has won 84.8% (112-of-132) of the games he has appeared in throughout his career.

The Indiana Hoosiers will open the home slate of the 2024-25 season with an exhibition against Marian at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 1. The regular season will start at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against SIUE at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

2025 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR CENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESEASON CANDIDATES*

Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama

Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State

Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas

Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

Khaman Maluach, Duke

OUMAR BALLO, INDIANA

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Amari Williams, Kentucky

Derik Queen, Maryland

Vladislav Goldon, Michigan

Dawson Garcia, Minnesota

Malik Dia, Ole Miss

Robbie Avila, Saint Louis

Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary’s

Maxime Raynaud, Stanford

Eddie Lampkin, Syracuse

William Kyle III, UCLA

Samson Johnson, UConn

Efton Reid II, Wake Forest

SEE ALSO: Myles Rice ‘was who we thought he was’ for Indiana basketball in exhibition win — showing glimpses of just how important he’ll be this season

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