Top 10 Illinois basketball transfers of all time

The transfer portal has helped the Illinois basketball program a lot over the decades with some of the incoming transfers playing some big minutes.

By Rees Woodcock | Feb 28, 2024, 7:38 AM CST

Dec 6, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) reacts after scoring and drawing a foul against the Texas Longhorns during overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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No. 5 Terrence Shannon Jr.

When it is all said and done, Terrence Shannon Jr. has a chance to climb to the top of this list. If he has a sensational final year, he could easily be No. 1. But, for now, I have him at No. 5.

Shannon entered the college ranks with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The 6-foot-6 guard would have a great career in Lubbock, as he would average 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He also helped lead them to deep NCAA tournament runs.

After three seasons with Texas Tech, Shannon decided to enter the transfer portal. A lot of teams were vying for his commitment, but Illinois ended up landing the sensational guard.

This past season, Shannon would put up some impressive numbers. He averaged 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals for the Illini. His numbers also helped boost Illinois into the NCAA tournament.

Out of every player on this list, Shannon has the second-best numbers, but he only has one trip to the NCAA tournament, and that was a first-round exit. He decided to return for one more season, though. Let’s see how he finishes in Champaign. Regardless, he is a top-five transfer in program history.

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