In Syracuse, New York, Quincy Ballard—a previous star player from Henninger High School who was regarded as one of the better center choices in the current NCAA transfer portal—has decided to commit to Mississippi State, as reported by 247 Sports' Dushawn London.
London cited Ballard’s agent.
When Ballard opted for Florida State right after high school, Syracuse still showed interest in him. Similarly, they reached out again during his initial transfer when he chose Wichita State instead.
It appears that Syracuse did not pursue him on this occasion.
Ballard, standing 6 feet 11 inches tall as a center, significantly improved throughout the previous two years at Wichita State. During his fifth season playing collegiate basketball, he managed to average almost a double-double.
In more than 33 games, Ballard maintained an average of 10 points and 9.2 rebounds over 27.6 minutes of playtime. Additionally, he showcased his defensive prowess as a shot blocker, with 1.9 blocks per game.
Ballard hit 75.1% of his field goals but just 55.7% of his free throws. Last season, Wichita State ended with a record of 19-15.
Because he had one season affected by the coronavirus pandemic and another cut short by an injury, he qualifies for a sixth year of collegiate basketball eligibility.
Ballard was rated as the No. 8 center in the NCAA transfer portal and the No. 89 overall transfer prospect according to the rankings. EvanMiya.com, and the number 13 center along with the number 124 player On3.com.
Before attending Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Ballard spent one year playing varsity basketball at Henninger High School.
Syracuse indeed needed to add several centers during the off-season, and so far, they have signed a lesser-known duo for this position. UCLA’s William Kyle III and Georgia Tech’s Ibrahim Souare.
The largest transfer additions for Syracuse have been at the point guard position. (Naithan George) and wing (Nate Kingz).
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