Oumar Ballo calls out Indiana fans for hateful messages including death threats

The star center for Indiana pleading with Indiana fans after the Hoosier's loss to Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament to remember that the players are people too.
Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson talks with Indiana Hoosiers center Oumar Ballo (11) during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson talks with Indiana Hoosiers center Oumar Ballo (11) during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Indiana Hoosiers certainly haven't had the season they were hoping for. They came into the 2-24-2025 basketball season ranked in the AP Top 25, and this team had high hopes for making the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.

However, just like it can happen to any team, best-laid plans don't always come to fruition. The Hoosiers have faced highs and some very low lows this season, and they certainly have felt it. Head coach Mike Woodson has taken the brunt end of it all, especially from the fans, as at many games, fans chanted "Fire Woodson" throughout the game.

Now, with the Hoosiers being eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament after a second-round loss to Oregon as the 9-seed, it is going to be a long two days while Indiana waits to see if the selection committee deems them worthy enough to make the NCAA Tournament.

After the game, senior center Oumar Ballo spoke with the media in the locker room and shared some disturbing details on how the team has been treated by some Indiana fans.

"We lose one game, two games, the next thing you know, your DMs crazy, like death wishes, like death threats and stuff like that," Ballo said.

This kind of behavior from anyone is absolutely unacceptable. These players are human beings, and no one should ever receive this kind of hate from anyone else, especially some who want to call themselves fans. These guys playing on the court are out there playing the game they love, but it is hard to win a game, no matter who they are playing and these guys are in their early 20s, they aren't trying to go out there and lose games.

This has been something that has been a problem in sports for a long time now when fans think they have a right to say whatever they want to players, and it simply is wrong and hateful.

"At the end of the day, we are human beings, we have feelings," Ballo said. "Just like you, you wake up, go to work, and someone's wishing nothing but the worst for you and your work, and it's mentally draining, and no one wants to deal with that for a whole five months, it's too much to take in for players and for coaches."

Ballo made a point to talk about real Indiana fans and say that the team knows who real Hoosier fans are because they have always had the team's back, but this kind of hate from fake fans is simply unacceptable.

Whether it is professional sports or college sports, this kind of behavior has no place in the games fans, players, and coaches love. Everyone is entitled to mistakes, and everyone is entitled to a bad game, at the end of the day, these guys are playing a sport they love, and fans are watching the sport they love, and that needs to be remembered.

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