CHAMPAIGN, Ill — In Illinois basketball history, there are players who left their legacy on the game, leaving an indelible mark that echoes through the decades. Terrence Shannon Jr. is one of those players—a force of nature who has etched his name among the Illini greats.
I vividly recall my first encounter with Shannon, a high school basketball prospect at the Ubben Basketball Complex in September 2018 from Lincoln Park High School. Though the spotlight initially favored another recruit, E.J. Liddell, it was Shannon's talent that should have been on notice.
As fate would have it, Shannon's journey would lead him away from Texas Tech, having success there of course. But destiny had other plans, and his return to his roots would be to return home, and the rest would be history.
In this year's NCAA Tournament, Shannon's star shone brightest. With a string of electrifying performances, he etched his name into the Illinois basketball history books. From record-breaking scoring feats to clutch plays in crucial moments, Shannon's heroics were the stuff of legend.
Consider the statistics, three consecutive NCAA Tournament games with 25 or more points, tying the illustrious company of Don Sunderlage, Nick Anderson and Luther Head. A staggering seven straight 20-point games, not done in recent memory. And let us not forget his great performance in the Big Ten championship game, where his 34-point explosion led Illinois to victory and earned him the Most Outstanding Player award. With 102 points in three games at the Target Center, Shannon finished one point short of the record for a single Big Ten Tournament.
Shannon averaged 30.2 through five games in postseason play, including the opening-round game against Morehead State in the NCAA Tournament. Despite missing six games in late December and early January, Shannon even managed to break the school’s 58-year-old single-season scoring record.
As his collegiate journey is over, Shannon's legacy is secure. He joins the ranks of Illinois legends, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Nick Anderson, Dee Brown, Deon Thomas, Brian Cook, Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, Kenny Battle, Kendall Gill and Deron Williams. But perhaps his greatest legacy lies in the hearts of the Illini faithful, who will forever cherish the memories and performances on the hardwood.
Battle said, "There are too many players to discuss the top five which I have been asked to do. Someone is inevitably going to be left out due to different eras, and some people have excluded me, and I understand that it makes sense. However, it's not fair because there are some great ones, as a matter of fact."
"Terrence has had a remarkable Illinois career. He reminded me of myself, both being left-handed and never wanting to lose, we both wanted to make life hell for opponents on offense and defense. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him play. He played hard for forty minutes every single game, he tried to punish opponents, and his desire to win reminded me of myself. We never quit, no doubt." Battle added.
Shannon helped put Illinois basketball back on the national map. And for that, he will always be remembered as one of the best Illini of all time.
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