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.
| 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 | |
| |
Early life
editBal 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
editAs 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
editBal 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
edit- ^ "Adama Bal". NBADraft.net.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (12 May 2021). "Bear Down, rouge et bleu: Arizona's latest commitment gives Cats a French accent". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ Givony, Jonathan (11 May 2021). "Adama Bal, top international prospect, commits to Arizona Wildcats". ESPN.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (6 October 2021). "French-speaking teammates help freshman Adama Bal adapt to Arizona Wildcats". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ a b "Adama Bal". Arizona Wildcats.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (22 March 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. 26 July 2023.
- ^ Scheer, Jason (22 May 2023). "Adama Bal to transfer from Arizona". 247Sports.
- ^ "Former Arizona Wildcat Adama Bal transfers to Santa Clara". Arizona Daily Star. 16 April 2023.
- ^ Lawson, Theo (10 January 2024). "Key matchup: Once a Gonzaga recruit, Adama Bal thriving at Santa Clara after two seasons at Arizona". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ Daniels, Evan (16 June 2020). "French guard Adama Bal considering college, offers roll in". 247Sports.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (26 July 2022). "Arizona's Adama Bal and his 'obscene wingspan' stand out for France in U20 European Championship". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ Pascoe, Bruce (12 October 2022). "Still just 18, Arizona's Adama Bal expected to have bigger role as a sophomore". Arizona Daily Star.