Lemar Shir Finds His Division I Home at Green Bay

Some players fill up a stat sheet. Others make sure everyone else can.

That has become one of the defining qualities of Lemar Shir's game, and now it has helped the Canadian point guard find his Division I home. Shir has committed to the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay for 2027, ending a recruitment that continued to grow as he proved himself at increasingly higher levels over the past year.

Green Bay is getting a point guard who has already experienced what it takes to lead a winning team. Shir helped Alberta capture a national championship as its starting point guard, followed that with a strong run on the UAA Circuit, and then continued to raise his profile at the NBA Academy Games against some of the top international talent in the world.

His summer provided plenty of numbers for college coaches to notice. Against undefeated NBA Academy Green, Shir finished with 19 points, six steals, four rebounds and three assists. Throughout the event, he ranked first in steals, fifth in assists, and 10th in scoring, showing that his production could carry over as the level of competition increased.

But the numbers only explain part of why Shir projects as a Division I point guard.

"Beyond the box score, I feel like I'm a good leader. Whether we're up 20 or down two, I'm looking to lead my teammates and be a second coach on the court that they can rely on."

That mentality has been evident throughout his development. Shir has the physical profile to create problems at the guard position, combining a quick first step with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He can get into the paint and has become increasingly comfortable scoring once he gets there, but what stands out is his understanding of how his penetration affects the rest of the defense.

"Off the bounce, I'm looking for my corners and my corner cutters creating space. When that happens, I know there's no help side, and I can get to my spot and pull up."

Shir isn't simply attacking a gap and deciding what to do afterward. He's processing where the help is coming from and where that should leave an advantage.

"Me being aggressive opens up the game for a lot of people. If I get into the lane and draw two or three people, then I have options where the ball can go."

That ability to balance scoring and creation is probably the most important part of his projection to Green Bay. At the Division I level, Shir won't always be able to win with his first step or length alone. Continuing to improve his shooting, strength and finishing through contact will be important over his final year before arriving on campus. Still, his ability to read a defense gives Green Bay something substantial to build around.

His time with Alberta also showed another side of his development. Playing point guard for a national championship team required more than creating highlights; Shir had to understand when to attack, when to settle his team and how to manage possessions late in games.

He credits Alberta head coach Matt Daley with helping him develop that approach.

"Coach Matt Daley always said if we score the first basket of the game and then manage the rest of the game, we'll be the winners. Every possession is important, especially as the level gets higher and higher."

Shir has taken that lesson into the way he controls tempo. He doesn't always need to play fast to be effective, and he has become comfortable adjusting his speed depending on what the game requires.

"Don't let anyone rush you. As a point guard, I've been developing the ability to play at my own pace. It could be fast or slow, like Luka. Depending on how the game is going, you base your pace on how your team is responding."

There is a defensive element to his projection as well. His 6-foot-9 wingspan gives him tools that aren't common at the point guard position, and his performance at the NBA Academy Games showed what can happen when those tools are paired with anticipation. Ranking first in steals against that level of competition matters because it gives Green Bay another potential way to keep him on the floor while the rest of his offensive game develops.

Shir had interest from programs including Evansville, Ball State, Southern Illinois, South Dakota State, Western Illinois, UTEP, Oakland, Columbia and Eastern Michigan. Still, throughout the process he consistently talked about wanting more than simply a Division I offer.

"I'm just being smart about the program that I'm going to. I want to build a great relationship with the coaches, earn their trust, and develop myself. That's always been my approach."

Green Bay ultimately became that program.

The commitment doesn't finish Shir's story as much as it gives the next stage of it a destination. He still has another season to develop before arriving in Wisconsin in 2027, and there are areas of his game that will have to improve before he's ready to run a Division I offense consistently.

But Green Bay isn't simply betting on what Shir might become.

They're getting a point guard who has already led a team to a national championship, produced against international competition and shown that he understands something young guards often take much longer to learn: controlling a basketball game isn't always about being the player who takes the shot.

Sometimes it's about being the player who makes sure the right shot gets taken.