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Highly-touted Wichita State center Quincy Ballard announces intentions to transfer to Mississippi State

Paul Jones Mississippi State Bulldogsby:Paul Jones•04/09/25•

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NCAA Basketball: Tulsa at Wichita State
Mar 9, 2025; Wichita, Kansas, USA; Wichita State Shockers center Quincy Ballard (15) reacts after a play during the second half against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans and his staff entered the offseason in search of a proven and experienced player at the center position. On Wednesday evening, the Bulldogs grabbed their top target at that spot with the addition of Wichita State transfer center Quincy Ballard.

Ballard announced on social media his intentions to transfer to Mississippi State and he becomes the second transfer commitment for the Bulldogs, joining former UAB transfer guard Ja’Borri McGhee, who committed on Sunday.

The 6-foot-11 and 251-pound Ballard spent his first two seasons of college at Florida State before playing the past three seasons at Wichita State. Due to injuries in two different seasons, Ballard was rewarded another year of eligibility for the 2025-26 season.

This past season, Ballard averaged 10.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots for the Shockers. He shot 75% from the field to set a school record while also leading the nation in that category. Ballard is one of 5 players since 1953-54 who shot 75% FG in a season with at least 150 shots with the most recent being former Kansas center Udoka Azubuike.

Also this past season, Ballard set the school record for dunks (62) in a season. He also set career records with 1.97 blocked shots per game and a career 72.8% field goal percentage. His 152 career blocked shots and 123 career dunks are also second most in Wichita State history.

As a junior at Wichita State, Ballard averaged 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds a game while shooting 71.9% from the field. He started all 67 games in the past two seasons at Wichita State.

So far this offseason, the Bulldogs have had a pair of centers – Michael Nwoko and Jeremy Foumena – enter the transfer portal and Nwoko recently signed with LSU. The Bulldogs will also welcome On3 four-star center and 2025 signee Tee Bartlett to the program this summer.

This past season Nwoko and KeShawn Murphy handled most of the minutes at the center position for State.

The transfer portal officially closes on April 22nd and the dead period for visits concludes this coming Thursday.

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