When the new Wichita State men’s basketball team was introduced at Koch Arena during halftime of an AfterShocks game earlier this summer, there was no questioning who the loudest cheer was saved for.
Quincy Ballard, the burgeoning 7-foot star who spurned the transfer portal and six-figure NIL offers from power-conference teams to finish his career at WSU, says he appreciates the love he receives in Wichita.
But he’s not letting it stroke his ego.
“I don’t believe in the hype,” Ballard said bluntly. “I’m just focused on staying in the gym and getting 1% better every day.”
It’s not just the fans who are excited to see Ballard back in a Shocker uniform. His new teammates are already salivating at the opportunities they will have because of the big man’s abilities.
New point guard Justin Hill’s eyes lit up when asked if he’s ever played with a lob threat like Ballard in the pick-and-roll game.
“Never,” Hill said.
New sharpshooter A.J. McGinnis plans on feasting on open kick-out passes when defenses crash the paint to try to stop Ballard.
“If they tag the roller, I’m going to be spotted up on the wing or in the corner ready to knock it down,” McGinnis said. “But I don’t know how you stop (Ballard). Just his athleticism and the way he is a ball-hog in the air. I’ve never really had an opportunity to play with that type of threat above the rim before.”
Ballard proved to be a force for WSU last season as a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game, as he broke the WSU single-season record for dunks (58) and field-goal percentage (71.9%).
WSU tests each player’s max vertical in the offseason. And this summer, WSU strength and conditioning coach Ashtin Meerpohl had to find a box to elevate the measurement machine to properly test Ballard.
“We know his catch radius is north of 13 feet,” Mills said. “He’s really fast to the rim and he puts a tremendous amount of pressure on defenses because he really is a top-of-the-square guy. Defenses are going to figure something out with him and that’s going to make something else open on the court.”
While it can be frustrating to roll hard and not receive a lob pass, Ballard knows the importance of rolling hard after every screen. He has the ability to bend the defense constantly — without ever touching the ball.
“That can create for others,” Ballard said. “If I’m not open, then someone is going to be open. Maybe in the corner or the wing or a floater.”
So what does Ballard work on in the offseason when his role — lob threat on offense, rim protector on defense — seems set in stone?
Mills would like to see Ballard increase his offensive rebound numbers after posting a good-but-not-great 9.0% offensive rebound percentage and scoring a good-but-not-great 1.136 points per possession on putbacks, according to Synergy.
The coach would also like to see Ballard polish up his post moves, with the help of assistant coach and former big man Quincy Acy, and demand the ball more inside. After all, Ballard made 72% of his shots last season and it just makes mathematical sense to try to exploit his shot-making ability as much as possible.
Ballard only attempted 22 shots from post-up attempts, per Synergy, a figure that Mills wouldn’t mind seeing increase.
“We have to be better about throwing the ball down there to him and feeling comfortable with his ability to finish,” Mills said. “He’s always going to be a lob threat and great protecting the rim. Quincy is going to be a huge part of who we are defensively, but we do need to do a better job of getting him post isos and increasing his O-board numbers and his finishing rates.”
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