Cougars Basketball Roster Rundown: Emmanuel Ugbo
This summer, Emerald City Spectrum will be taking a look at the Washington State men's basketball roster leading up to a new season, breaking down all 14 players who are expected to suit up for the Cougars in 2025-26.
In part six of the series, Emmanuel Ugbo comes to Pullman as a transfer from Boise State where he looks to use his athleticism and defensive ability to make an immediate impact.
Emmanuel Ugbo, Forward, Senior
Ugbo, a 6-8, 245 pound senior originally from Barendrecht in the Netherlands, spent parts of the last two seasons at Boise State. Joining the Broncos in the 2023-2024 season, he had to redshirt due to visa issues and wasn’t able to come to Boise until the middle of the season. Last year, Ugbo played in 36 games with 12 starts and averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. He is known as primarily a defensive player who can play some small ball center and defend multiple possessions.
Out of scholarship players, Ugbo ranked fourth on the Broncos in defensive rating and defensive plus box minus, proof that Boise State’s defense improved with him on the court. Adding a rotational player known for his defense from a team that was on the NCAA tournament bubble should be a solid addition for the Cougars and help improve a team that finished 198th in defense last year according to Kenpom.
Say ‘Hallo’ to the newest Coug, @Emmanuelugboo ❗️
The 6’8” Dutch-Nigerian power forward joins the Cougs after his freshman season at Boise State, making 12 starts and finishing fourth on the team in blocks.
Welcome to Wazzu! #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/TSW0ny6cMY— Washington State Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarsMBB) April 22, 2025
Offensive Breakdown
Ugbo’s offense definitely needs refinement, as last year he wasn’t much of a scorer averaging just a hair over three points per game and shot a poor 22.7 percent from three-point range. Not only will getting a better jump shot help Ugbo stay on the court, but it will make the opposing defenders play closer to him away from the ball, opening up driving lanes not only for himself but his teammates.
Ugbo did shoot well from the free throw line at 78.8 percent and does have good form on his jump shot. The technique is there, but he will have to find a way to translate his success from the charity stripe into being able to command respect from opponents as a shooter. If he’s able to do that, it would be a major development for the Cougars offense as a whole.
Outlook for 2025-2026
A good athlete with plenty of remaining upside, Ugbo should be able to find ways to make a difference for Washington State with his quick burst and strength. But in order for him to take his next step as a player, crafting a more consistent jump shot and or the ability to put the ball on the ground to drive to the hoop will be focal points. Regardless, he should be a rotation player this upcoming season and depending on his offensive progress, there’s room for his minutes to improve over time.
Ugbo will be one of nine new players on the Cougars’ roster, joining Dio Blakely, Aarron Glass, Simon Hildebrandt, Brunel Madzou, Jerone Morton, Dominik Robinson, Adrià Rodriguez, and Eemeli Yalaho in Pullman.
