SPOKANE, Wash. — Oumar Ballo from Mali, whose nickname is "Baby Shaq," signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Gonzaga men's basketball team on Tuesday.
The center will join the Zags for the 2019-2020 season.
The 16-year-old just visited Gonzaga in February. According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Ballo committed that month.
Ballo was labeled the top ESPN prospect by Jonathan Givony and is listed as a four-star recruit by 247Sports.
He is considered a bully around the rim and has a soft touch on his jumper.
Ballo, who has measured with a 7-foot 6-inch wingspan, averaged 21 points and 17 rebounds at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina last summer. In pool play against the Dominican Republic, he scored 32 points and grabbed 32 rebounds.
"I chose Gonzaga because I think it's the best place for me as an international player and especially for a big man," Ballo said. "I love the way they use their bigs. The atmosphere between the teammates always supporting each other is motivating."
Ballo plays at the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, and was one of the youngest participants in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at this year's NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, N.C. He recently stood out at the Next Generation Showcase during the Final Four in Minneapolis.
Ballo had a breakout performance at the FIBA U16 African Championship. He averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds in just 21 minutes per game in the tournament.
In February, Ballo told KREM 2 Sports in an interview that he really enjoyed his trip to Gonzaga. He was excited at how Gonzaga has been able to develop forwards and centers over the years.
Mali, being a French speaking country, has Ballo excited that there are other French speaking players on the team. He's grown close to Zags guard Joel Ayayi.
Gonzaga Athletics Contributed to this report.