Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech basketball: Terrence Shannon Jr. shows up on 2021 NBA Mock Drafts

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders stands for the National Anthem before the college basketball game against the Kansas Jayhawks on March 07, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders stands for the National Anthem before the college basketball game against the Kansas Jayhawks on March 07, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Though it is a year away, 2021 NBA Draft mocks are being released and the Texas Tech basketball team’s Terrence Shannon Jr. is showing up on some lists.

Texas Tech basketball fans are still coming to terms with the departure of Davide Moretti, who last week announced his intention to forego his senior season to play professionally in Europe.  But already we are being confronted with the idea that next off-season we could lose another key member of the program as forward Terrence Shannon Jr. is showing up in numerous 2021 NBA mock drafts.

Recently, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report released his first 2021 NBA mock draft, and Shannon checks in as a late first-round pick.  He has Shannon as the No. 22 prospect in the draft at this point.

Meanwhile ESPN’s Jonathan Givoni also released an early mock draft and he has Shannon at number 34 on his list. That, however, is not a first-round grade but of course there’s plenty of time for Shannon to improve his stock before next summer.

Many people are expecting Shannon to have a breakout sophomore season.  After averaging 9.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a true freshman he could be a player who takes his game to a new level after an off-season to develop his skills and his understanding of Chris Beard’s system.

We’ve seen in recent years, such players as Jarrett Culver and Davide Moretti make significant jumps in their second year on campus and there’s reason to believe that Shannon should be the next Red Raider to become a star in his sophomore season.  What makes Shannon such an intriguing breakout candidate is the fact that he already has the size and athleticism to be a dominant player on the wing. The 6-foot-7 native of Illinois stepped onto campus last fall already a grown man meaning that only his basketball skills, and not his physique, needed improvement.

In fact, he surprised many Texas Tech basketball fans by earning a spot in the opening night starting lineup. He would go on to start his first 21 games of his career only failing to make two starts due to injury.

But as the Big 12 season wore on, Shannon’s game became inconsistent and his effort at times, especially when it came to rebounding, was not what his head coach had in mind. Thus, he was replaced in the starting lineup for the final six games of the season by fellow freshmen Kevin McCullar Jr.

More from Wreck'Em Red

It was a roller coaster of a debut season for Shannon.  He got off to a fantastic start in non-conference play including a four-game stretch in December during which he averaged 17.3 points per game.  There was also a run in January during which he averaged 14 points and 3.8 rebounds per game against Big 12 competition.

However, he would not finish the season strong. In fact, over the final two months he had just two double-digit scoring games.   What’s more, during his final 11 games of the season, he averaged six points per game while failing to score more than three points on four separate occasions.

Thus, he enters this off-season far from assured of a starring or even starting role on next year’s team. However, he has all the tools required to become a force in the Big 12 and on the national scene so long as his effort and intensity match his immense physical gifts.

In order to take the next step and become a more complete player, one that is ready to head to the NBA, Shannon must improve his outside shot. Last season he was just a 25.7% shooter from behind the three-point arc and that’s not good enough to survive in the NBA.  In addition, there’s no reason that he should not become a dominant defensive player and a well above average rebounder giving his 6-foot-seven frame and otherworldly athleticism.

It will be interesting to see whether Shannon or McCullar is able to earn the starting nod next year as both essentially play the same position. Also, keep in mind that this roster will be loaded with talented wings including freshmen Micah Peavy and Chibuzo Agbo, and redshirt freshman Tyreek Smith.  However, there will be plenty of minutes for both Shannon and McCullar and each figures to be a key component of what the Red Raiders hope to accomplish in 2020-21.

Next. Terrence Shannon's best games of 2019-20. dark

The difference between the two seems to be their top and potential. Whereas McCullar has the look and feel of a four-year college player, Shannon’s freakish athleticism makes him appear to be eventually destined for the NBA as a player who does not exhaust his eligibility in the college ranks. And if he is able to take his game to a high enough level next season that it warrants his inclusion in next summer’s NBA Draft it will mean that he’s become a dominant player for the Red Raiders and that could be what pushes this team over the top.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball