Josh Mballa
{{short description|French basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Josh Mballa
| image = Josh Mballa.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Mballa with Buffalo in 2021
| position = Small forward / power forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lb = 220
| number =
| league =
| team =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|7|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| nationality = French
| high_school = Putnam Science Academy
(Putnam, Connecticut)
| college =
- Texas Tech (2018–2019)
- Buffalo (2019–2022)
- Ole Miss (2022–2023)
| draft_year = 2023
| highlights =
- MAC Defensive Player of the Year (2021)
- 2× Second-team All-MAC (2021, 2022)
- 2× MAC All-Defensive Team (2021, 2022)
}}
Joshua Kenneth Mballa (born 29 July 1999) is a French basketball player. He played college basketball for the Ole Miss Rebels, the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Buffalo Bulls.
Early life and career
Mballa was born in Detroit, Michigan but raised in Bordeaux, France.{{cite web |last1=Lenzi |first1=Rachel |title=Josh Mballa makes inside moves for UB men's basketball team |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/josh-mballa-makes-inside-moves-for-ub-mens-basketball-team/article_5fc1376c-103a-5e88-9c1e-a92fdb00df95.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=1 November 2021 |date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227064732/https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/josh-mballa-makes-inside-moves-for-ub-mens-basketball-team/article_5fc1376c-103a-5e88-9c1e-a92fdb00df95.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/back-at-full-speed-josh-mballa-helps-ubs-late-season-run/article_36d64358-9448-11ec-8e50-1b775d78eb68.html|title=Back at full speed, Josh Mballa helps UB's late-season run|date=February 22, 2022|agency=The Buffalo News|author=Lenzi, Rachel|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223143316/https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/back-at-full-speed-josh-mballa-helps-ubs-late-season-run/article_36d64358-9448-11ec-8e50-1b775d78eb68.html|archive-date=February 23, 2022}} He started playing competitive basketball at age eight, learning from Vincent Mbassi, a trainer at Kameet Academy who knew his uncle.{{cite web |last1=Crane |first1=Andrew |title=Texas Tech was unsure about Josh Mballa. Now at Buffalo, he’s a star. |url=https://dailyorange.com/2020/12/texas-tech-transfer-josh-mballa-one-of-buffalo-top-players/ |website=The Daily Orange |access-date=1 November 2021 |date=18 December 2020 |archive-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219171041/http://dailyorange.com/2020/12/texas-tech-transfer-josh-mballa-one-of-buffalo-top-players/ |url-status=live }} He played for Bouscat and then JSA Bordeaux before joining Orléans Loiret.{{cite web |last1=Dupriez |first1=Hugo |title=L’objectif de Josh Mballa : "que j’amène Buffalo à la March Madness" |url=https://midnightoncampus.com/basketball/josh-mballa-objectif-amener-buffalo-march-madness-2020/ |website=Midnight on Campus |access-date=2 November 2021 |language=French |date=15 February 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225225210/http://midnightoncampus.com/basketball/josh-mballa-objectif-amener-buffalo-march-madness-2020/ |url-status=live }} Mballa returned to the United States for high school, attending Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Connecticut. Playing alongside Kyle Lofton and Osun Osunniyi, he helped his team win the National Prep Championship.{{cite web |title=Texas Tech transfer Josh Mballa commits to UB basketball |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/texas-tech-transfer-josh-mballa-commits-to-ub-basketball/article_60ae33c1-95ba-5f00-ba31-07e17fd85659.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=1 November 2021 |date=7 June 2019 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102172225/https://subscribe.buffalonews.com/e/limit-reached-bn?returnURL=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/texas-tech-transfer-josh-mballa-commits-to-ub-basketball/article_60ae33c1-95ba-5f00-ba31-07e17fd85659.html |url-status=live }} A three-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Texas Tech over offers from Seton Hall and South Florida.{{cite web |last1=Soliz |first1=Brandon |title=Joshua Mballa added to Texas Tech basketball roster |url=https://texastech.rivals.com/news/joshua-mbalaa-commits-to-texas-tech |website=Rivals |access-date=1 November 2021 |date=2 July 2018 |archive-date=3 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703001707/https://texastech.rivals.com/news/joshua-mbalaa-commits-to-texas-tech |url-status=live }}
College career
As a freshman at Texas Tech, Mballa played sparingly, scoring 13 total points, and his team reached the national championship game. For his sophomore season, he transferred to Buffalo and received a waiver for immediate eligibility.{{cite web |last1=Lenzi |first1=Rachel |title=Transfer Josh Mballa receives waiver to play for UB men's basketball |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/transfer-josh-mballa-receives-waiver-to-play-for-ub-mens-basketball/article_501f88e3-9931-5db8-be57-9428b2be6ec2.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=1 November 2021 |date=23 October 2019 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102172154/https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/transfer-josh-mballa-receives-waiver-to-play-for-ub-mens-basketball/article_501f88e3-9931-5db8-be57-9428b2be6ec2.html |url-status=live }} As a sophomore, Mballa averaged 10.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He grabbed 308 rebounds, the most by a Buffalo player in a single season since Sam Pellom in the 1975–76 season.{{cite web |last1=Skoczylas |first1=Hunter |title=Jayvon Graves and Josh Mballa earn spots on preseason All-MAC teams |url=https://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2020/11/jayvon-graves-and-josh-mballa-earn-spots-on-preseason-all-mac-teams |website=The Spectrum |access-date=2 November 2021 |date=21 November 2020 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127004155/https://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2020/11/jayvon-graves-and-josh-mballa-earn-spots-on-preseason-all-mac-teams |url-status=live }} He missed three games early in his junior season due to plantar fasciitis. On 19 December 2020, Mballa posted a career-high 27 points and seven rebounds in a 107–96 overtime loss to Syracuse.{{cite web |last1=Gunn |first1=Patrick |title=Mballa's dominance inside gave Buffalo a chance to beat Syracuse |url=https://247sports.com/college/syracuse/Article/Josh-Mballa-Buffalo-Syracuse-basketball-157437935/ |website=247Sports |access-date=2 November 2021 |date=20 December 2020 |archive-date=20 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220123137/https://247sports.com/college/syracuse/Article/Josh-Mballa-Buffalo-Syracuse-basketball-157437935/ |url-status=live }} As a junior, he averaged 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, receiving Second Team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Defensive Player of the Year honors. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft before withdrawing and returning to Buffalo.{{cite web |last1=Lenzi |first1=Rachel |title=UB forward Josh Mballa withdraws from NBA draft consideration, will return to Bulls |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-forward-josh-mballa-withdraws-from-nba-draft-consideration-will-return-to-bulls/article_62e663fc-db60-11eb-bb38-5bf3db92bab9.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=2 November 2021 |date=2 July 2021 |archive-date=3 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703051111/https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-forward-josh-mballa-withdraws-from-nba-draft-consideration-will-return-to-bulls/article_62e663fc-db60-11eb-bb38-5bf3db92bab9.html |url-status=live }} Mballa was named to the Second Team All-MAC as a senior.{{cite press release|url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2022/3/9/2021-22-mens-basketball-postseason-awards-announced.aspx|title=2021-22 Men's Basketball Postseason Awards Announced|publisher=Mid-American Conference |date=March 8, 2022 |accessdate=March 8, 2022}} Following the season, Mballa declared for the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-announces-early-entry-candidates-for-nba-draft-2022|title=NBA announces early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2022|date=April 26, 2022|website=NBA.com|publisher=NBA Communications}} He also later entered the transfer portal.{{cite web |last1=Lenzi |first1=Rachel |title=UB forward Josh Mballa to enter transfer portal|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-forward-josh-mballa-to-enter-transfer-portal/article_c8544c94-c58a-11ec-a6bd-4757c9c6a5c1.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=May 25, 2022}} On May 15, 2022, Mballa announced he was transferring to Ole Miss.{{cite web |last1=Lenzi |first1=Rachel |title=UB forward Josh Mballa will transfer to Ole Miss|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-forward-josh-mballa-will-transfer-to-ole-miss/article_21071eb4-d492-11ec-88f3-e7e19f113bfa.html |website=The Buffalo News |access-date=May 25, 2022}} He subsequently withdrew from the NBA Draft.{{Cite web |last=Truax |first=Barkley |date=May 25, 2022|title=Report: Ole Miss transfer Josh Mballa withdraws name from NBA Draft|url=https://www.on3.com/college/ole-miss-rebels/news/ole-miss-rebels-basketball-transfer-josh-mballa-withdraws-name-from-2022-nba-draft/|access-date=May 25, 2022|website=On3.com |language=en}}
National team career
Mballa represented France at the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Spain, where he averaged 4.2 points and four rebounds per game. At the 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship in Slovakia, he averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Joshua Kenneth Mballa (FRA)'s profile - FIBA U18 European Championship Division A 2017 |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18/2017/player/Joshua-Kenneth-Mballa |publisher=FIBA |access-date=2 November 2021 |archive-date=9 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909125217/http://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18/2017/player/Joshua-Kenneth-Mballa |url-status=live }}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19
| style="text-align:left;"| Texas Tech
| 17 || 0 || 3.4 || .444 || .000 || .357 || .3 || .1 || .1 || .1 || .8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo
| 32 || 20 || 25.8 || .562 || .000 || .590 || 9.6 || 1.0 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 10.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo
| 22 || 19 || 29.5 || .486 || .250 || .679 || 10.8 || 1.9 || 1.5 || .5 || 15.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 71 || 39 || 21.6 || .521 || .227 || .618 || 7.7 || 1.0 || 1.1 || .7 || 9.8
{{S-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://ubbulls.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-mballa/5944 Buffalo Bulls bio]
- [https://texastech.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-mballa/7898 Texas Tech Red Raiders bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mballa, Josh}}
Category:French men's basketball players
Category:Buffalo Bulls men's basketball players
Category:Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball players
Category:Sportspeople from Bordeaux