Quincy Ballard will be entering his sixth collegiate season. He’s also a familiar name for the program.
Syracuse Orange men’s basketball faces a busy next few weeks with holes across the roster to fill and up to eight scholarships available. Could one possible target be a Syracuse native with a former connection to the program?
Quincy Ballard, a six-foot-11 center originally from the 315, will be entering the transfer portal, his agents told ESPN on Tuesday.
Ballard broke out during the 2024-25 season with career-highs in minutes (27.6), points (10.0), rebounds (9.2) and blocks (1.9) for Wichita State.
NEWS: Wichita State’s Quincy Ballard will enter the transfer portal, his agents Brandon Grier and Michael Silverman told ESPN. The 6’11 center averaged 10 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, shooting 75% from the field. pic.twitter.com/mJnuNV86ZE
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 25, 2025
The transfer center will be heading into his sixth collegiate season in 2025-26.
Ballard started off his college basketball career in 2020-21 with Florida State. He played minimally with the Seminoles, suiting up for just 36 games combined in two years and never averaging more than 4.7 minutes per game. He would end up transferring to Wichita State in April 2022.
However, a season-ending injury derailed his first season with the Shockers. While he would only play 10 games that year, Ballard health track record improved, playing 67 games (all as the starting center) for Wichita State. Ballard received an extra redshirt year for that injury-plagued 2022-23 campaign.
Particularly during those two years, Ballard’s role and production both dramatically increased. That includes substantial spikes in minutes, field goal attempts, defense around the rim and scoring output.
Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Ballard is also a familiar face for the Orange. He received offers from Syracuse in addition to Cincinnati, NC State, Maryland and Florida State.
Center will be a primary target for coach Adrian Autry and the program will look to address this offseason. Eddie Lampkin and Naheem McLeod, who both anchored down the position last year, are now gone with each now out of eligibility.
Ballard could also serve as a different type of center archetype the Orange might be interested in, particularly a player who can be an improved deterrent around the rim while still providing enough offensive juice and rebounding to be consistently viable in Autry’s rotation.
As discussed previously, one other Syracuse native besides Ballard to keep an eye on is former Iona guard Dejour Reaves. The Orange have also expressed interest in some other portal targets, like former North Dakota guard Treysen Eaglestaff and former North Dakota State guard Jacari White.
Now it’s your turn: do you think Ballard would be a good fit with the Orange?