Boise State men’s basketball lands ‘playmaking guard’ who initially got away
Leon Rice repeatedly has said he intends to get the Boise State men’s basketball team back to championship form for the 2019-20 season.
But his latest addition to the Broncos’ program shows Rice also has a keen eye on the team’s extended future.
University of Portland transfer Marcus Shaver Jr. signed with the Broncos on Wednesday. He will sit out the upcoming season per NCAA rules and will have two years of eligibility remaining starting in 2020-21.
“We recruited Marcus out of high school and we are thrilled that he chose to continue his college career at Boise State,” Rice said in a press release. “He’s a playmaking guard that has the ability to score in bunches. He’s a dynamic player with a tremendous upside who will excel in our offensive system. He has a love for the game and a desire to get better — making him a perfect fit for our culture.”
Shaver Jr., a 6-foot-2 combo guard, led the Pilots in scoring the past two seasons. He averaged 14.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as a sophomore with a team-high 52 3-pointers to earn All-WCC honorable mention recognition for the second year in a row.
He has scored 20 or more points eight times in his career, including a 30-point outing in a 74-70 loss to Pacific on Jan. 26. Shaver Jr. leaves Portland having scored 868 career points.
In high school, Shaver Jr. led Phoenix’s Shadow Mountain to a 27-0 record and the Arizona 4A state championship in 2016-17. He averaged 22.4 points, 2.7 steals and 2.5 assists to earn All-Arizona Basketball First Team honors.
Shaver Jr. joins recent Boise State transfer additions Mladen Armus (East Tennessee State), Emmanuel Akot (Arizona) and Abu Kigab (Oregon).
For information on season tickets for Boise State’s upcoming men’s basketball season, visit BroncoSports.com/tickets or call the ticket office at 208-426-4737.
This story was originally published May 9, 2019 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Boise State men’s basketball lands ‘playmaking guard’ who initially got away."
