3 more transfer portal targets for Boise State men’s basketball

The Boise State men’s basketball team has already secured two transfer portal commitments from point guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas (North Dakota State) and forward Jerquarius Stanback (Alabama State). 

The Broncos have also come out on the losing end of a few transfer portal recruiting battles, including three targets who signed with future Pac-12 rivals: Guard Isiah Harwell (Gonzaga), guard Lazerek Houston (Washington State) and forward Jackson Rasmussen (Oregon State). 

Earlier this month, Boise State Broncos on SI highlighted four potential transfer portal targets for the Broncos, who are losing all five starters off last year’s team. 

With multiple open roster slots, here are three more players Boise State is actively recruiting in the transfer portal. 

Center Jikany Deang (North Dakota State College Of Science)

The Broncos have a massive need at center with the loss of star Drew Fielder, who averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds last season en route to second-team all-Mountain West honors. Backup Dominic Parolin is out of eligibility, leaving Boise State without a true center on the 2026-27 roster. 

The 6-foot-11 Deang could be a Day 1 starter for the Broncos as a two-way center with three-point range. During his sophomore season at North Dakota State College Of Science, Deang averaged 17.6 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc. 

Dushawn London of 247Sports reported that Deang took an official visit to Boise State on Monday. He is an unrated junior college prospect. 

Wing Abdul Bashir (Auburn)

The 6-foot-7 Bashir was limited to six games last season due to a back injury, but the talented wing was a prolific scorer at the junior college level. 

Bashir averaged 27.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 37 percent on three-pointers during his sophomore year at Casper College. Bashir was rated a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 1 overall junior college recruit for the class of 2025 by 247Sports. 

London reported that Bashir had Zoom meetings with Boise State and Charlotte on Tuesday. He would be a plug-and-play starter for Andrew Meadow, who transferred to Oregon.

Guard Cayden Ward (Cal Poly)

The 6-foot-5 Ward is a two-way guard who would provide additional scoring and rebounding for the Broncos. 

Ward was a breakout performer as a sophomore, nearly doubling his scoring average from 7.4 points per game to 14.5. He also put up 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.8 steals and received all-Big West honorable mention. 

Ward, a career 32 percent shooter from beyond the arc, informed SportsCastProductions that he is down to Boise State, California, Oregon State, UCLA, USC or a return to Cal Poly.