Alumni Spotlight: Antonio Ballard

When Antonio Ballard broke his wrist in January 2011, his college basketball career ended abruptly.

However, his basketball career was just getting started.

Ballard recently finished his 12th season playing professionally, most recently with Fribourg Olympic of Switzerland. Ballard's sport and livelihood have taken him around the globe since graduating from Miami University, including places like Greece, China, Lebanon, Canada and France.

"I've played in Europe the most; that's probably where my heart is," Ballard smiled. "Just getting to see all these places that I used to see in movies. Now I can be like, 'Oh, I know where that is. I've been there!'"

Ballard played the 2021-22 season in Finland, which he remembers as being 'very cold.'

"Depending on the time of year that you're there, it'll get dark by 2:30 or 3 p.m.," said Ballard. "I had an afternoon practice and I woke up and thought I missed everything!"

One of the Miami alum's favorite memories from his time across the Atlantic is meeting his future wife, Katalina.

"She grew up in Miami for 12 years, and she loves Miami," Ballard said. "Miami, Florida!

"I told her I went to Miami University [the night we first met], and she was SO excited. I was about to say, 'of Ohio', but she was so excited thinking it was Florida, I had to wait until I get her phone number before I told her!

Antonio Ballard

"To this day, we have arguments about which is 'the' Miami…but I told her there's no debate!"

The happy couple's wedding is scheduled for later this month in the Dominican Republic. It's the highlight of a busy July for Ballard, who is also on the roster for 'Purple Hearts,' one of 64 teams in The Basketball Tournament. The single-elimination event, which is known for its Elam Ending (where teams play to a target score instead of until the fourth-quarter time runs out) and million-dollar championship prize, begins July 19.

(Ballard is not the only former RedHawk slated to participate in the tourney; Logan McLane '18 is part of the DuBois Dream squad in this year's field as well.)

Ballard's team is scheduled to open play in the Lubbock, Texas regional against a ballclub made up of Texas Tech alumni, and he hopes to participate in whatever portion of the event his schedule will allow. The cause his group is competing for —raising funds and awareness to address gun violence, especially in inner cities— is important to Ballard.

"I like the meaning behind the Purple Hearts: What you're playing for, and who you're giving it to," said Ballard. "I'd rather play and fight for something, and not make it, rather than playing for something [and win] that I don't necessarily believe in."

This will be Ballard's second year on a TBT roster. In 2022, he suited up for Mid American Unity, a group of former MAC players. That team lost in the first round, but Ballard appreciated the chance to help represent the conference he competed in as a collegian.

Although it's been a dozen years since Ballard wore the Red and White, the Jeffersonville, Ind. native has nothing but fond memories of his time in Oxford. "Miami really changed my life: Physically, mentally, all of it," Ballard explained. Antonio Ballard (35

"I came to Miami for so many reasons," he continued. "Basketball isn't even my favorite reason why I went there, because it's a great educational school."

Ballard, who was the first member of his family to attend college, let alone graduate, double majored in Sport Studies and Family World Studies. "That's going to carry me after basketball, because basketball's only going to take me so far," he added. "For me to have two degrees from Miami, I'm very, very, very blessed to have gone to this school."

On the court, he credits his time as a RedHawk with laying the foundation for his eventual pro career. "Being coached by the legend Charlie Coles…it made me the player that I am," Ballard said.

"I play very good defense. I play solid. I don't try to do too much. I have different roles on different teams: Sometimes I have to be a scorer, sometimes I have to be a defender, sometimes I have to be a rebounder. I have a bunch of things that are hard to coach or teach."

"Every time he was on the floor for Miami, he contributed," said Steve Baker, the Voice of the RedHawks. "Antonio was one of those guys that I'll always remember as, 'That's the kind of guy I want on my team.'

"He just knew what he was supposed to do and loved working on his craft and loved getting better…you could tell he genuinely appreciated his opportunity and tried to take advantage of it."

The skills Ballard developed in his time at Miami have continued to grow and evolve with each passing year and each new experience overseas. "I've gotten more confident," he said. "I started to realize and recognize what I actually bring to a team…how I play hard and do all the small fundamental things (talking, jumping to the ball, communicating) that may get overlooked more than jumping or dunking or shooting."

Antonio Ballard

Ballard returned to campus last summer and spent some time sharing what he's learned as a professional with the most recent crop of RedHawks. "I came up there and met the guys, just talking with them and then playing basketball. I liked the team and how they interact with each other," he said.

"I told them, 'You've got more talent than I had at your age,'" Ballard recounted. He emphasized the importance of being coachable, a lesson that he'll share with anyone who will listen. "That's the reason I'm still doing this now," the veteran ballplayer said.

"I wanted our players to feel the passion and the pride that he has for Miami," said head coach Travis Steele. "How he pays attention to every game, every result; and how much that 'MIAMI' means across his chest.

"He told those guys: It means everything. He wishes he could play another game in a Miami uniform."

Ballard enjoys keeping up with Miami Men's Basketball on social media and following the team's success, and said he appreciates the occasional 'alumni shoutout' whenever @MiamiOH_BBall mentions Ballard, Kenny Hayes, Julian Mavunga, or any of the program's pro products. "It helps us stay connected, and because of that, I had a bunch of people who followed me or kept up with me from college that reached out," he said.

"That Love and Honor comes back around full circle!"

And as Ballard keeps tabs on his alma mater, the RedHawks continue to pay attention to what he's accomplishing on the hardwood.

"We play for those who came before us," Steele said. "Antonio is a terrific player, and a terrific ambassador for our program.

"We're happy that he's playing in the TBT, and we'll be cheering for him wherever he's playing."

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