Shannon is the first Illinois first-round NBA draft pick in 12 years
Jeremy Werner
TheMinnesota Timberwolvesdrafted Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. with theNo. 27overall pick in the2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday. Shannon, a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection at Illinois, is the Illini's second draft pick in four years, joining Ayo Dosunmu (No. 38 overall in 2021).
- Shannon, 23, finished No. 3 in the country in scoring last season (23.0 points) while shooting 47.5% from the field and 36.2% from three. He also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks.
- ESPN ranked Shannon as the No. 26 overall prospect in the draft and the No. 6 shooting guard in the class.
- Shannon earlier this month was acquitted of a rape charge stemming from an alleged incident in Kansas in June. Shannon testified on the stand in the three-day trial, and the jury came back with a not-guilty verdict after 90 minutes of deliberation.
Why it matters: Shannon is the first Illinois basketball player to be drafted in the first round since Meyers Leonard went No. 11 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. He is just the fourth Illinois basketball player of the last 20 years to be drafted in the first round, joining Leonard, Deron Williams (No. 3 in 2005) and Luther Head (No. 24 in 2005).
- According to Spotrac, Shannon will make $2.63 million guaranteed his first season and $2.76 million guaranteed his second season. He then has team options worth $2.8 million and $5.1 million the following two seasons.
the moment @Sn1per_T joined the squad ? pic.twitter.com/1gUOhCM4h5
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) June 27, 2024
How he fits:Shannon's tenacity and two-way ability should play well with an Anthony Edwards-led team that is trying to compete for an NBA championship. Shannon is a physically imposing guard whose biggest impact could be made on defense at the next level. At Illinois, he often checked the opposing team's best guard, but he could be even better in the NBA given that he won't expend so much energy creating his own offense as a complementary scoring piece in the NBA. Shannon can be a streaky shooter, but he has a quick release and shot 34.7% for his career. He is a bully driving to the rim, though he might not find it as easy to finish at the rim or get foul calls in the NBA. But Shannon is electric in transition thanks to his mix of speed, strength and explosive athleticism.
Coach speak: "I think defensively, he's a stalwart. I think defensively he's got a chance to impact the NBA game right away," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "I think his ability to guard on the ball his athleticism, his physicality, 6-6, 220, great athleticism. But I think the one thing that everybody will fall in love with very quickly is his competitive spirit. I mean, if you're playing UNO with him, he's trying to rip your head off, let alone on the court. So I think his teams will, as they get to know him, whatever team drafts him, that competitive spirit will definitely come out. He's obviously a guy who can go get an easy basket in transition with that speed, and he's obviously proven he can make three, so that'll be an attribute."
"Just a young man that handled everything as professionally and as tough-minded and as caring as anybody could be through the process. I am not going to sit here and try to put words in his mouth. It could not have been an easy situation, but boy, his teammates were there to support him. He was there to support his teammates, and it's going to be a great week for Terrence Shannon."
What it means: Shannon is one of the best development success stories of Brad Underwood's tenure. Shannon was a good player at Texas Tech but largely was a 3-and-D option, averaging 11.0 points over three seasons with the Red Raiders mostly as a catch-and-shoot option. At Illinois, Shannon blossomed into a primary playmaker and one of the best scorers in the country, averaging 20.2 points over two seasons. After missing games each season at Texas Tech due to injury, Shannon also kept a clean bill of health at Illinois, which is somewhat a credit to Illinois strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher.
- Underwood said in a statement:"We are so excited for Terrence; this is the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to the game he loves. His decision to return for a final year of college and continue to develop not only helped our team achieve historic success, it solidified him as a first-round pick and allowed his NBA dreams to come true. The Timberwolves made a great decision by selecting Terrence, they are getting a two-way player who should make an immediate impact with his ability to score in transition, attack the rim, shoot threes, and defend. It was a privilege for our staff and his teammates to be here in Chicago celebrating this special moment with Terrence and his family, and it's another proud day for Fighting Illini Basketball."
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