Boise State adds mid-major defensive player of the year in transfer portal

Boise State’s frontcourt received a major boost on Thursday with the addition of Alabama State transfer Jerquarius Stanback.

The 6-foot-9 Stanback earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year honors as a freshman last season while averaging 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and two blocks. He announced his commitment to the Broncos on Thursday on Instagram.

Stanback is Boise State’s second transfer portal addition this cycle, joining North Dakota State guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas.

The 6-foot Wheeler-Thomas, who committed to the Broncos on April 6, averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals during his junior season for the Bison. North Dakota State captured the Summit League regular-season and tournament titles and fell to Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Wheeler-Thomas was a three-year starter for the Bison. He will likely take over for Dylan Andrews as the Broncos’ starting point guard in 2026-27.

Boise State is also in pursuit of three junior-to-be guards: Makhai Valentine (Northern Illinois), Cayden Ward (Cal Poly) and Jermaine Washington (San Jose State).

The 6-foot-3 Valentine averaged 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, one assist and one steal as a sophomore. He shot 36 percent from beyond the arc and 81 percent from the foul line.

According to a post on his Instagram page, Valentine has also been contacted by George Washington, North Texas, Penn State and Wichita State, among others.

Ward, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, visited Boise State on Wednesday. He put up 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a sophomore for Cal Poly.

The 6-foot-1 Washington had 18 points and six assists in San Jose State’s Mountain West Tournament upset win over Boise State. Washington averaged 11.5 points, 2.9 assists and 1.8 rebounds last year.

Fresno State, Montana State and Virginia Tech have also been in contact with Washington, according to The Portal Report.

Dushawn London of 247Sports reported that former Auburn guard Abdul Bashir had a Zoom meeting with Boise State on Wednesday. The 6-foot-7 Bashir was rated the nation’s No. 1 junior college prospect in 2025 and appeared in six games for the Tigers last season.

The Broncos were the runner-up in a battle with future Pac-12 foe Washington State for Division II All-America guard Lazerek Houston, who announced his commitment to the Cougars on Tuesday.

The 6-foot Houston put up 20.8 points, 5.1 assists and four rebounds while shooting 37 percent on three-pointers during his lone season with Central Missouri. Houston earned Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player of the Year honors and helped lead the Mules to the program’s first NCAA-II Tournament appearance since 2015.

Five Boise State reserves have announced their intention to return next season: forward Spencer Ahrens, guard Julian Bowie, forward Bhan Buom, guard Pearson Carmichael and forward Ethan Lathan.

The Broncos are losing all five starters off last year’s team that went 20-12 overall and missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

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