Amidst the chaos of transfer portal season, Boise State quietly nabbed their fourth high school commit of the 2025 class in Link Year forward Bhan Buom. Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Buom transferred to the prestigious Link Year Academy in Missouri to finish out his high school career. The school has a long track record of producing NBA talent, including first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter and NBA Champion Jordan Walsh, and the Broncos will hope to see similar results out of Buom.
Buom comes to the Broncos as a three-star recruit and the 12th-ranked recruit in the state of Missouri. He’s a 6-7 wing with length and athleticism to spare, something the Broncos were sorely missing this past season on the perimeter. Offensively, he’s a willing three-point shooter, but excelled at getting downhill and getting to the basket. Elite speed meant Buom blew by most bigger wings that tried to guard him, and when a defender actually stuck with him, Buom’s size allowed him to finish over and around defenders when attacking the basket. Where Buom truly shined was as a defender. His lateral movement and length are rare at the high school level, meaning most teams didn’t even try to beat him off the dribble. When courageous players did try to get to the basket on him, Buom showed good recovery instincts that led to chase down blocks.
For the Broncos next season, Buom is likely a redshirt candidate. Despite the size and athleticism, the offensive game is still unrefined and likely not ready to contribute day one. Defensively, he will likely need to add 10 pounds of muscle to hold up against college wings. The tools are there for Leon Rice to mold Buom into a special player, but it will probably be a year or two before Bronco Nation gets to see him shine on the court.
Development in college basketball is rare these days, if players don’t get the playing time they want within a year or two, they often hit the portal for “greener” pastures. However, if Buom sticks around and develops, Boise State is getting a potentially special player. Guys with his length and athleticism are hard to find, his skillset as a lengthy scoring wing and lockdown defender reminds me of former Bronco Abu Kigab. While his commitment process may not have had the publicity or glamor of some of the other members of this 2025 class, I think Buom’s inclusion gives the Broncos a prospect with legitimate NBA upside with proper development. It’s a lofty goal, but few coaches at the mid-major level have had more success than Leon Rice at maximizing a player’s offensive skillset.
