Terrence Shannon Jr. climbs in last 2024 NBA Draft big board

The 2024 NBA Draft is on June 26-27, and former Illinois basketball great Terrence Shannon Jr. is a near-lock to be picked.

With the Illini, Shannon blossomed into a leader on the court and someone who could put up big numbers. He averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game to help Illinois reach the Elite 8 for the first time since 2005.

After five seasons in the college game, Shannon is trying his hand at the next level. The Association awaits, and his star continues to rise in the eyes of NBA scouts.

In the latest and, I believe, final 2024 NBA Draft big board by Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman has Shannon as one of the top players. Wasserman lays out the top 75 prospects for the draft, and Shannon lands at No. 24.

Wasserman’s write-up lays out the pros and cons about Shannon’s game perfectly.

“His speed, explosion and open-floor handle will surely translate to easy transition baskets, foul shots and half-court blow bys.”

“His one-on-one offense is still fairly predictable—he's either driving hard or settling for a contested pull-up.”

I feel like those assessments of Shannon are pretty spot-on. Shannon has the work ethic to continue to develop his game. He isn’t done becoming a better basketball player, even though No. 24 is quite an impressive feat.

Terrence Shannon Jr. landing at No. 24 in the 2024 NBA Draft would set him up nicely in the future

Let’s hypothetically say that NBA teams look at the best available talent and draft that way. That means Shannon gets picked with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Shannon would be Illinois’ first first-round NBA Draft pick since Meyers Leonard in 2012. He went No. 11 overall to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Moreover, Shannon going late in the first round would be way more beneficial to the talented guard than going earlier in the first round. The NBA has a rookie scale, and between picks No. 16 and No. 24, there is less than a $1 million difference in salary year-over-year.

I think the biggest benefit if Shannon did get selected later in the first round is that he would land with a more established franchise. The No. 24 pick belongs to the New York Knicks right now. They are looking to build on their 2024 playoff performance.

There is a solid chance Shannon’s name gets called on Wednesday night. He is slotted in as a first-round caliber player, and this should be an exciting night for Shannon's family, Illinois basketball fans, and the NBA franchise that is about to land this great player.