Former Illinois basketball guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has been looked at by NBA scouts since his time at Texas Tech.
A late March Madness surge with the Illini exponentially boosted the wing's NBA Draft stock, as he averaged 27.8 points per game in seven postseason games.
It's unlikely Shannon would be a number one option for an NBA team, but he would provide a variety of crucial traits. Hustle, a wing scoring presence, size, strength, and three-point shooting just to name a few.
According to many mock drafts, Shannon could be selected anywhere from mid-first to the second round in the 2024 NBA Draft. With all things considered, let's take a look at some potential landing spots for Shannon.
3 best NBA Draft landing spots for former Illinois basketball guard Terrence Shannon Jr.
1. New Orleans Pelicans | Round 1, Pick 21
This would be the best-case scenario for Shannon. Not only would he fill some voids for this up-and-coming team that is coming off a postseason appearance, but he would also get an opportunity to earn plenty of minutes and possibly even a starting spot.
I went more in-depth in my previous piece, but Shannon would be running the floor with guys like CJ McCollum, a great facilitator, Zion Williamson, one of the most athletic bigs in the league, and Brandon Ingram.
The Pelicans' starting wing is currently Herbert Jones, who Shannon could very well compete with for that starting spot. Additionally, current starting shooting guard, Brandon Ingram, will be entering the final year of his contract, so there could be a void at that position Shannon could very well slide into.
If this selection happens, we could very well see another Illini in the NBA playoffs next year.
2. Denver Nuggets | Round 1, Pick 28
How cool would it be for Shannon to join the defend NBA champion Denver Nuggets?
This team has a major void at the backup No. 3 position with current backup Justin Holiday set to enter free agency. The Nuggets' current third string at the position is Julian Strawther, who averaged just 4.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game this season.
Shannon would get a chance at substantial playing time in just his first season with a team that could compete for an NBA title next season. Not to mention, he would be playing alongside one of the league's most dominant players, Nikola Jokic.
3. New York Knicks | Round 1, Pick 24
New York was beyond fun to watch towards the end of the season. Fortunately for Shannon, a few key wings are entering free agency.
The Knicks could easily be in the market for a second-string shooting guard if they lose Alec Burks to free agency. Starting wing OG Anunoby, a former Big Ten star, is also entering free agency this offseason. If the Knicks lose Anunoby, Josh Hart would likely step in to fill that void.
Looking ahead to next season, starting forward Julius Randle is set to enter free agency. With the way the team looked without him in the playoffs, I wouldn't be surprised if they traded at some point prior to the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
There are plenty of voids and opportunities for Shannon to step in and get some solid playing time at the next level. The 2024 NBA Draft is slated for June 26th-27th.