The 2024 NBA Draft is coming up shortly, and the Illinois basketball team has a player who is a lock to be selected.
This past season, the Illini made a run in the NCAA tournament that I hadn’t seen in 20 years. An Elite 8 appearance is nothing to take for granted. This doesn’t happen often, and a large part of why we made it that far was due to Terrence Shannon Jr.
Shannon had some incredible games for the Illini, finishing the season averaging 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He also took a career-high 6.7 three-point attempts and hit them at a clip of 36.2%.
In the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, which is to be held June 26-27, Shannon is obviously projected to be selected. Not only will he go in this draft, but there is a solid chance he is a first-round pick.
Numerous teams could use a player like Shannon at one of the guard roles, but in the latest The Ringer 2024 NBA Mock Draft, they have him going to the newly-minted NBA Champion Boston Celtics.
The Celtics are coming off a run to an NBA title that didn’t see them challenged much. They also have a backcourt that doesn’t need an immediate starter, so it is a perfect landing spot for someone like Shannon.
I could see Boston picking Shannon and then having him play behind someone like Jaylen Brown. Everyone in the Celtics’ starting lineup and second rotation are locked up for another year, so there isn’t an urgent need. Shannon could provide great depth in the backcourt and would help make that team even more dangerous.
Illinois basketball could finally be getting a first-round NBA Draft pick with Terrence Shannon Jr., which hasn’t happened in a long time
Shannon going in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft would be a great sight to see. He is someone who has accomplished a lot in the college game, and he worked his way into contention to be a first-round pick.
The last player the Illini had selected in the NBA Draft was Ayo Dosunmu. He was picked in the second round by the Chicago Bulls in 2021. You have to go all the way back to Meyers Leonard in 2012 to find the last first-round NBA Draft pick from the Illini. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with pick No. 11 overall.
Illinois’ drought of first-round NBA Draft picks could be over in the next couple of weeks. Let’s see if Shannon can get called on day one.