Minnesota Timberwolves select rim rocker Terrence Shannon Jr. in the 2024 NBA Draft

Illinois basketball officially has a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, as Terrence Shannon Jr. is now off the board.

It has been a long time coming for the Illini. The wait is finally over, though. In the first round, No. 27 overall, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Shannon.

Shannon is coming out of Illinois, but his basketball path didn’t start in Champaign. He began his high school career at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. Shannon then transferred down to IMG Academy in Florida to finish up his high school career.

As a four-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 62 player in the class of 2019, Shannon could have gone to numerous programs including Illinois. He decided to head south and committed to Texas Tech.

Shannon had a solid three-year run with the Red Raiders, averaging 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. After his junior campaign, Shannon decided to enter the transfer portal. Once again, the talented guard had a ton of options, but this time around, he picked Illinois.

While with the Illini, Shannon’s game blossomed. He finished his final season averaging 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Shannon stacked up accolades as well, winning the Big Ten Tournament, making the All-Big Ten team twice, and clinching a spot on the NCAA All-Region team.

Shannon also did something not many Illinois basketball players have accomplished in the last couple of decades. He brought the Illini back to the Elite 8. The last time that happened was in 2005.

Terrence Shannon Jr. has the game to make a nice career with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Illinois had quite a few players selected in the NBA Draft over the past century, and some of these talented athletes have gone on to have great rookie seasons. I think Shannon is in line to be another solid NBA player coming out of Champaign.

Shannon showed a lot of promise at the college level. He has the ability to get to the basket and draw contact while finishing at the rim. That is a huge asset to have for the next level.

I think Shannon’s three-point shooting is going to be another big bonus for him in the NBA. He can create space by himself, as he doesn’t have to rely on screens and other teammates to get space to shoot.

NBA players also understand spacing a lot more than in the college game. With college players, you can have spacing issues, which can clog up lanes or draw double teams. In the NBA, spacing isn’t nearly the issue because of the understanding of the game.

I am happy to see Shannon get picked in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft. This kid has the world in front of him, and I am excited to see how he develops in The Association.