Over the next few weeks, Bronco Nation News will be doing a brief review on every player from the 2024-25 Boise State basketball team. This is day one of a series which will look at how each player performed, the role they played, and what’s in store for them next season. Today we begin with forward Emmanuel Ugbo, who has since entered the transfer portal.
Stats
10.0 MPG, 3.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 48/23/79 shooting splits
Season Summary
Emmanuel Ugbo became a fan favorite in 2025. After being a seldom-used backup big to open the season, even getting zero minutes in the Broncos’ win over Saint Mary’s, Ugbo ended up starting 12 games for the Broncos and playing consistent minutes as a rotational big. The season highlight was a 17 point, 8 rebound, 3 block performance off the bench in the Mountain West tournament semifinals against New Mexico.
Strengths
Ugbo was inserted into the starting lineup amidst O’Mar Stanley’s struggles because of his defense, undoubtedly the strength of his game. Ugbo was the team’s second-best defender per Evan Miya’s DBPR, a metric that summarizes a player’s defensive impact. Ugbo consistently played with high energy, helping set the tone for a defense that Leon Rice had previously called effortless. At 6-8, Ugbo is a good rim protector for his size with a 4.0% block rate (second on the team) but has the athleticism to switch ball screens onto wings and guards. In addition to his defense, Ugbo displayed natural rebounding chops. His 20.8% DReb rate was second best on the team, and would’ve been in the top-200 in the nation if he had enough minutes to qualify. He also was an efficient finisher at the rim, going 29/40 at the rim.
Struggles
As good as Ugbo was defensively, he was limited offensively. According to Evan Miya’s OBPR, a metric meant to summarize a player’s offensive impact, Ugbo was the worst offensive player on the team. His -0.90 rating meant he was worse than the average D1 player on the offensive end. The metrics can lie, but the film doesn’t. Ugbo had a very limited offensive game. As a scorer, he didn’t show a post skillset or face up game that allowed him to create for himself. As a screener, he had poor hands which led to too many turnovers (his 19.9% turnover rate was second highest amongst rotation players) and his three-point shot was too shaky to be a consistent pick-and-pop threat in ball screens. His touch away from the basket was an issue as well, shooting just 7/22 on two-point shots away from the rim.
2026 Outlook
Ugbo was a solid backup big for the Broncos this past season. He provided energy and defense in small bursts, fulfilling the role he was asked for. Some expected Ugbo to step into a starting spot next season with O’Mar Stanley graduating; however, Ugbo entered the transfer portal at the start of the offseason and will be playing elsewhere next season. Georgetown transfer Drew Fielder is expected to be Boise State’s starting center next season instead.
