Illinois basketball has been a wild ride since Brad Underwood took the reins back in March 2017.
The Illini have seen some amazing lows, like having the fifth-worst winning percentage in a single season in program history back in 2018-19. We have also experienced some amazing highs, like winning the Big Ten regular season and the Big Ten Tournament.
Over the past couple of seasons, things have gotten even crazier, though. The transfer portal dam broke, and now every offseason is about who is departing, who is being added, and what holes are left in the program.
I would argue this offseason has been one of the craziest I have seen in Illini history. Rob Dauster and Trevor Vallese of The Field of 68 broke down the Illinois offseason on Monday night. In their discussion about what has gone on with the Illini and what is to come, both had very understandable points of view.
Vallese took a, for lack of a better term, harsher approach to what has happened with the Illinois basketball team since the first-round exit to Arkansas. He talks about how the Illini don’t have a point guard and the fact that Underwood has preached adding stars in the transfer portal, and he failed to do that this offseason. So, he earned a “D” for a grade.
On the other hand, Dauster gave the Illini a little more leniency. He recognized that Illinois doesn’t have a point guard, but he likes the pieces we added this offseason. Dauster thinks these pieces will bring Illinois solid, much-needed, depth. He gave Illinois a “C+” for the offseason.
Illinois basketball should turn to a veteran for its point guard needs in 2023-24
Opinion
I completely understand where both sides are coming from when it comes to Illinois basketball this offseason. Losing Jayden Epps is tough because he is a talented player. But I honestly don’t believe everything is doom and gloom.
Illinois is getting back six out of the top eight players in box +/- from last year’s team. The only ones missing are Matthew Mayer and RJ Melendez. Our bottom three scholarship players in box +/-, Brandon Lieb, Skyy Clark, and Epps all departed the program. Clark and Epps had a combined -2.2 offensive box +/-.
The worries about who is going to play point guard are legit. I have heard a few names mentioned such as Coleman Hawkins, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Ty Rodgers, but why can’t Terrence Shannon Jr. be molded into a point guard?
Here is my mindset. Shannon loves to run, and he needs the ball in his hands. I would also argue that there are large swaths of times when he is disengaged with what is happening because he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. With him running the point, this keeps him in the game more often.
Running the point would also open Shannon up on the offensive end of the court. He brings the ball up, gets the offense going, and then he can run around screens and take open shots. I also like the idea of playing a nice two-man game with Dain Dainja around the free throw line.
I know Shannon doesn’t have the same skill level as James Harden, but the transformation of Harden is what I am thinking Shannon could do this season. Harden didn’t play the point until he got to Houston. Mike D’Antoni took over and formed Harden into a point guard who could dish the ball and score at a high rate.
And the last thing I want to note is that if Shannon can develop his point guard abilities, then that makes him an even more intriguing NBA prospect. There are a million Shannons trying to make the NBA right now, but if he can add great ball distributor to his already solid shooting, then I think he has a chance to rise in the NBA Draft boards.
That is my case for Shannon to be Illinois’ No. 1 for next season. At this point, it could be a number of players, but I think Shannon gives us the best chance to win games. I think he can build on his 2.8 assists per game from last season.