Bio

Position: Forward

Height: 6’8” (7’1” wingspan)

Weight: 222 lbs

Previous School(s): Texas Tech, Putnam Science Academy

Hometown: Orleans, France

Recruitment

247 Rankings:

• Grade: 82
• National Ranking: 450
• Position Ranking: 79 (PF)

Offers and Interest:

• As a high schooler: Texas Tech, UMass
• As a transfer: Buffalo

Player Breakdown

Josh Mballa comes to Buffalo with a long winning pedigree:

• Texas Tech, NCAA Division I National Runners Up
• NY Jayhawks (AAU). t-9th best winning percentage on Adidas Gauntlet
• Putnam Science Academy, Prep National Champions
• E1T1 United (AAU), 7th best record on Nike EYBL Circuit
• French National Team, 6th place FIBA U18 Euro Championships 2017
• French National Team, 6th place FIBA U17 World Championships 2016

Mballa is a sit one, play three transfer, unless he receives a waiver from the NCAA (which they have been more liberal with as of late). He is the fourth sit-out transfer to come to UB in recent years following Wes Clark from Missouri, Antwain Johnson from Middle Tennessee, and Gabe Grant from Houston. Unlike those three however, who only had one year of eligibility remaining, Mballa will get four years of development (three years of play) at UB. The sit-out year will be good for Mballa to develop his game, he is a high major athlete but lacked the polish in his game to make an impact at Texas Tech as a freshman.

Mballa is a lanky athlete that will serve well as a switchable defensive piece, and a rim-running big man in the open floor that fits the up-tempo UB system well. In the fall of 2020, the Bulls will have a front-court of Jeenathan WIlliams, David Nickelberry, David Skogman, and Josh Mballa. I can’t think of any MAC team in recent memory with a length, skill, and athleticism combination in the front-court like that. Pair that with UB’s traditionally excellent guard play and the Bulls are positioned to continue the program’s success for years to come.

Highlights