Illinois basketball has multiple former players in the NBA Summer League this offseason.
Seeing Marcus Domask latch on with the Chicago Bulls is exciting. Illini fans loved him during the one season he was in Champaign, and his work ethic should translate to touches in The Association.
Domask’s running mate at Illinois, Terrence Shannon Jr., will also be seeing time in the NBA Summer League.
Shannon was a more obvious Summer League participant, as he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round with pick No. 27 in the 2024 NBA Draft.
one goal in mind. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/PZfMUeVY66
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 3, 2024
Minnesota will have some familiar faces on its Summer League roster as well. Shannon was drafted by the Timberwolves, which was the second pick of the draft for the franchise. The first pick was No. 8 overall, and Minnesota selected Rob Dillingham. He will join Shannon on the roster.
Illinois fans are also familiar with former Wisconsin standout, Tyler Wahl. He will also be competing for a spot on the Timberwolves’ roster this offseason.
Minnesota Timberwolves fans should expect to see the full repertoire of Terrence Shannon Jr. in the NBA Summer League
It was great seeing Illinois land a first-round NBA Draft pick. Meyers Leonard was the last Illini to go in the first round, and that was back in 2012. Shannon earned that spot in the first round, and I think Minnesota fans are about to get a full dose of what this kid can bring to the table.
There are three ways Shannon can attack an opponent, and all three ways are extremely effective. The first is in transition. The NBA is a transition-style game, and Shannon can get in the open court and create offense with the best of the best. I would argue Shannon is at his best when he plays transition basketball.
Shannon’s second way to attack an opponent is off the dribble. You can’t fall asleep on him when playing defense. Shannon can blow by you with a quick first step. Once he gets that edge, you aren’t recovering, as he is a strong finisher at the rim.
Lastly, the improved three-point shot is the third way Shannon is going to attack an opponent. Usually, slashers and players who can get to the basket aren’t the best three-point shooters. That isn’t the case here, though. Shannon improved his three-point shooting from 32.1% to 36.2% in his last two seasons at Illinois. He also took a career-high 6.7 three-point attempts in 2023-24.
I fully expect Shannon to show his full armory in the NBA Summer League. He has the game to attack from many different areas, and Minnesota fans should buckle up for the ride.