Adama Bal
| No. 4 – Santa Clara Broncos | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard / shooting guard |
| League | West Coast Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 18 December 2003 Le Mans, France |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| Playing career | 2020–present |
| Career history | |
| 2020–2021 | Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Adama-Alpha Bal (born 18 December 2003) is a French college basketball player for the Santa Clara Broncos of the West Coast Conference. He previously played for the Arizona Wildcats.
Early life
Bal was born on 18 December 2003, and grew up in Le Mans, France.[1] He played basketball for the third-tier Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball (CFBB) team in Paris, averaging 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists while playing 27 minutes per game in the 2020–21 season.[2] He was ranked one of the top European college basketball prospects and committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats.[3][4]
College career
As a freshman at Arizona in the 2021–22 season, Bal played 23 games and averaged 4.5 minutes per game, scoring 34 total points with 1.5 per game.[5] The following season, he played 26 games and averaged 2.5 points and shot 35.4% in 3-point range.[6] After having played just 104 minutes as a freshman and 214 as a sophomore, Bal entered the NCAA transfer portal in 2023.[7][8]
Bal ultimately transferred to the Santa Clara Broncos for his junior year.[9] He quickly became a top player for the team in the West Coast Conference.[10]
International career
Bal was a member of the France national under-16 basketball team and competed at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship, where he averaged 6.0 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.0 assist in seven games while helping France win second place.[5][11] He has also been a member of the national under-20 team, playing for them at the 2022 FIBA U20 European Championship.[12][13]
References
- ^ "Adama Bal". NBADraft.net.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (May 12, 2021). "Bear Down, rouge et bleu: Arizona's latest commitment gives Cats a French accent". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ Givony, Jonathan (May 11, 2021). "Adama Bal, top international prospect, commits to Arizona Wildcats". ESPN.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (October 6, 2021). "French-speaking teammates help freshman Adama Bal adapt to Arizona Wildcats". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ a b "Adama Bal". Arizona Wildcats.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (March 22, 2023). "Changes underway for Wildcats as Kerr Kriisa, Adama Bal enter transfer portal". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ "NBA Draft Scouting Report: Santa Clara's Adama Bal". Sports Illustrated. July 26, 2023.
- ^ Scheer, Jason (May 22, 2023). "Adama Bal to transfer from Arizona". 247Sports.
- ^ "Former Arizona Wildcat Adama Bal transfers to Santa Clara". Arizona Daily Star. April 16, 2023.
- ^ Lawson, Theo (January 10, 2024). "Key matchup: Once a Gonzaga recruit, Adama Bal thriving at Santa Clara after two seasons at Arizona". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ Daniels, Evan (June 16, 2020). "French guard Adama Bal considering college, offers roll in". 247Sports.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (July 26, 2022). "Arizona's Adama Bal and his 'obscene wingspan' stand out for France in U20 European Championship". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (October 12, 2022). "Still just 18, Arizona's Adama Bal expected to have bigger role as a sophomore". Arizona Daily Star.