Any word on Oumar Ballo?

[Malastein]

Has he arrived on campus? Is he expected to arrive soon?

Thanks!

[MadonnaBinLaden]

Have not seen him on campus yet. I'm guessing redshirt this year.

[zagnut2012]

Have not seen him on campus yet. I'm guessing redshirt this year.

I will be shocked if Ballo redshirts this year. Yes he is young, but a redshirt for a 4-5 star center? Again shocking if this happens......

[TexasZagFan]

IIRC, Silas Melson was the last Zag who redshirted for developmental reasons. The injury to Josh short circuited that plan.

Before that, it was Kelly Olynyk. Since then, redshirts have been used for undergrad transfers (Brandon Clarke) and medical redshirts.

In today's environment, the players who come to Gonzaga are primarily on two- or three-year plans. There will be exceptions, of course, such as Josh Perkins, and perhaps Corey. However, I'm expecting a breakout season from Corey, which could mean an exit after this year.

[Goshzagit]

I will be shocked if Ballo redshirts this year. Yes he is young, but a redshirt for a 4-5 star center? Again shocking if this happens......

May not have a choice until he can get his visa issues straightened out. He had problems getting to FIBA on time as well, due to same issues.

Hope he arrives soon.

These scrimmages, player-run practices, and individual workouts with Coaches are pretty darn important -- especially for a freshman big. The full participant practices don't start for another month.

Not to mention acclimating to college as a 17 yr old inter-national player.

[Bogozags]

IIRC, Silas Melson was the last Zag who redshirted for developmental reasons. The injury to Josh short circuited that plan.

Before that, it was Kelly Olynyk. Since then, redshirts have been used for undergrad transfers (Brandon Clarke) and medical redshirts.

In today's environment, the players who come to Gonzaga are primarily on two- or three-year plans. There will be exceptions, of course, such as Josh Perkins, and perhaps Corey. However, I'm expecting a breakout season from Corey, which could mean an exit after this year.

I agree, he won’t be a red shirt...he is too talented and imo get quality minutes...to me he is like a “Rui” in that Ballo has the same level of talent BUT he speaks and understands English...

Now, the issue is “IF” he can get into the States. We know that this administration has put restrictions on people getting in...don’t know if her is Moslem but if he is that could attribute to any delays...fingers are crossed here he gets in sooner than later as he will have lots of catching up to do in the classroom and on the court...

[TheBunnieRancher]

Doesn't matter if he is what his faith is, the American that was sent to Iraq because he wasn't born here and had Iraqi heritage and then died because he was a diabetic and couldn't get treatment there was Catholic. The current administration does not pay attention to a person's individual faith claims, just what region they are from.

[Bogozags]

Doesn't matter if he is what his faith is, the American that was sent to Iraq because he wasn't born here and had Iraqi heritage and then died because he was a diabetic and couldn't get treatment there was Catholic. The current administration does not pay attention to a person's individual faith claims, just what region they are from.

I’m sorry don’t feel offended but that man was being deported not attempting to obtain a visa to entry the US...that is the difference...now to this administration religion seems to have a bearing on accepting VISA requests, which is why I brought up the concern...

[zagnut2012]

May not have a choice until he can get his visa issues straightened out. He had problems getting to FIBA on time as well, due to same issues.

Hope he arrives soon.

These scrimmages, player-run practices, and individual workouts with Coaches are pretty darn important -- especially for a freshman big. The full participant practices don't start for another month.

Not to mention acclimating to college as a 17 yr old inter-national player.

“I want to play in college as soon as I can, so that is why I want to reclassify to 2019 … if you have a chance to play at a high level, I think it’s really cool. You can make your dreams come true, you know?” Ballo said

I am surely hoping that GU's staff is all over the "eligibility" and "visa" issues. We should be experts at this by now with the international players we recruit. Right? Thoughts? My take is that it will be resolved and we will see his "raw" talent develop before our eyes.

[Bogozags]

“I want to play in college as soon as I can, so that is why I want to reclassify to 2019 … if you have a chance to play at a high level, I think it’s really cool. You can make your dreams come true, you know?” Ballo said

I am surely hoping that GU's staff is all over the "eligibility" and "visa" issues. We should be experts at this by now with the international players we recruit. Right? Thoughts? My take is that it will be resolved and we will see his "raw" talent develop before our eyes.

As I said, fingers are crossed he get’s here sooner than later...

[Markburn1]

These are extremely irresponsible comments. Immigration law is extremely complex. The US has a long history of restricting immigrants from certain countries, education levels, special skills, etc. The restrictions placed by the current administration are on eight countries with a history of exporting violence and that have inadequate documentation on their citizens. Because some of them are predominantly Muslim doesn’t mean the US is discriminating against a religion. It means we are attempting to protect against terrorism.

Mali is not on the restricted list. No matter the expertise of Gonzaga basketball concerning immigration, there are sometimes complicated procedures that are required that throw up roadblocks from time to time. I don’t anticipate failure here. Maybe a delay, but count on Ballo being on campus very soon.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Let's keep the politics out of this in general. This is, from what I can see, a mere issue of documentation. Be patient. We've seen this before and we'll see it again.

[CB4]

U.S. Embassy in Mali wesbite: https://ml.usembassy.gov/visas/study-exchange/

It looks like he needs an F visa which is the common visa for foreign students studying in the USA. He basically needs provide the necessary documentation (i.e. birth certificates) and dot his i's and cross his t's on the application for it to be stamped and approved.

Gonzaga has 200 international students from 40 countries, the majority of whom are on F1 visas. So this isn't something unusual for the school or the basketball team (Russia, Poland, Canada, France, Japan, etc.) to handle.

The most likely thing that happened is that Ballo submitted the application in the past few months and it's being processed by the immigration department, which is backed up and slow.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

U.S. Embassy in Mali wesbite: https://ml.usembassy.gov/visas/study-exchange/

It looks like he needs an F visa which is the common visa for foreign students studying in the USA. He basically needs provide the necessary documentation (i.e. birth certificates) and dot his i's and cross his t's on the application for it to be stamped and approved.

A little curious why this is being done at the last minute. I also wonder how this will impact is academics since GU classes have already started.

[CB4]

A little curious why this is being done at the last minute. I also wonder how this will impact is academics since GU classes have already started.

We don't know if it was done at the last minute. I'm speculating, in a sense. But the delay could be for any number of reasons: failure to provide all required information and documentation, filing in the past few months/weeks, the date of the F1 application interview, etc.

[strikenowhere]

What is the absolute last day for him to step onto campus and be eligible for the season?

[amaronizag]

If we know Ballo is not on campus yet (do we??), and classes have already started, this could become another Geno Crandall case where he isn't eligible to play until later in the season. I hope that doesn't happen because I'm really anxious to see this kid play.

[CB4]

What is the absolute last day for him to step onto campus and be eligible for the season?

Today, Sept. 4, apparently, is the University's last day to "late register" for all students. I don't know how, if at all, this plays into the NCAA eligibility requirements for freshman who enroll in classes late.

https://www.gonzaga.edu/academics/ac...ates-deadlines

[ZagRecruitWatch]

If we know Ballo is not on campus yet (do we??), and classes have already started, this could become another Geno Crandall case where he isn't eligible to play until later in the season. I hope that doesn't happen because I'm really anxious to see this kid play.

Geno was a little bit different situation because he was grad transfer who was pursuing a masters and they have a different enrollment period. Last week the word from Few was he was not on campus. As far as I've heard no one has seen him yet.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

Today, Sept. 4, apparently, is the University's last day to "late register" for all students. I don't know how, if at all, this plays into the NCAA eligibility requirements for freshman who enroll in classes late.

https://www.gonzaga.edu/academics/ac...ates-deadlines

I worry more about his English and being able to catch up if he is able to register late.

[OCzag]

I worry more about his English and being able to catch up if he is able to register late.

I believe there are videos where he has been interviewed in English as well as his own social media posts where he writes/speaks English perfectly fine considering it is not his native language.

[CB4]

I worry more about his English and being able to catch up if he is able to register late.

Yeah and being an 18 or 19 year old starting college away from home in your HOME STATE (let alone a 17 year old in a different country) is challenging enough, though Ballo has experience living away from home so hopefully the adjustment isn't so challenging.

I would suspect that there's deference to the school by the NCAA as to when a student can enroll late while being eligible to complete the class requirements and thus the credits required for NCAA eligibility. Certainly Gonzaga has made some exceptions for non-student athletes regarding the last day to register in the past, including likely for visa reasons, but at a certain point the compliance department will have to draw the line and say an exception would be inappropriate if time continues to drag on...

[JPtheBeasta]

This scenario is feeling Bol Kong-like.

[zagbeliever]

Let's keep the politics out of this in general. This is, from what I can see, a mere issue of documentation. Be patient. We've seen this before and we'll see it again.

Thank you.

[GoZags]

This scenario is feeling Bol Kong-like.

Not. Even. Close.

At all.