Illinois Basketball: Illini receive Crystal Ball Prediction for top transfer portal player

It looks like the Illinois basketball team is getting closer to landing one of the best transfers in the portal.

The transfer portal hasn’t been the nicest to the Illini this offseason, as we have lost our starting point guard and a few backup players who would have contributed minutes this upcoming season. But Illinois seems to be narrowing in on a talented transfer who would help offset the departures.

Back on March 25, Texas Tech wing Terrence Shannon Jr. entered the transfer portal. He played three years with the Red Raiders, and it was time to move on. With two years of eligibility remaining, every team in the country wants Shannon. On Friday, not one, not two, but three 247Sports “experts” put in a transfer Crystal Ball Prediction that Illinois would be the landing spot for Shannon.

This is big news for the Orange and Blue. Shannon is one of the best players still available in the transfer portal. Just this

past season

alone, he averaged 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while hitting 38.4% from three-point range. This kid can play.

Illinois basketball needs to land Terrence Shannon Jr. from the transfer portal.

The fact three 247Sports “experts” think Shannon is coming to Illinois means it is probably going to come true. They clearly caught wind of something, and that is why they all put in a Crystal Ball Prediction around the same time.

I posted an article earlier on Friday about how Illinois fans need to have patience with the program in the first couple of months of the 2022-23 campaign. There are a lot of new pieces, and most of the talent on the team hasn’t played more than 30 games of DI basketball.

Adding someone like Shannon would help fill the experience void on the team, and he would put up big numbers. He would instantly become the player with the most experience, as Shannon has suited up in 83 games during his college career.

That experience would be invaluable. I also believe Shannon’s three-point shooting would be big for the Illini. Illinois ended up losing our top four players in three-point attempts from the 2021-22 season. That is a lot of production from outside that needs to be replaced.

I think Shannon can replace the three-point shooting Illinois is going to be missing. He brings tremendous experience to the table as well. Brad Underwood and the Illini coaching staff need to close this deal. This would be a huge commitment for the program.