I lay down a bit at Terence Shannon Jr.’s Jersey Retirement Ceremony held in Illinois on Saturday night. In fact, it turned upside down. When the former American pulled a rope connected to a banner commemorating his two-year Illini career, it opened with eyes and spread out, adding a comedic touch to the program’s legendary celebration.
Cheers from inside the state’s farm center turned to laughter and shortness of breath as the assembled patrons stopped the error. Shannon seemed to be taking the Snuff a lot, offering a smile as he looked up at the banner.
Shannon broke Illinois’ single-season scoring record last season, finishing with 736 points, leading Illini to the third seed and elite eight spot in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-6 guard averaged 23 points. This was the second national player of Zack Edith of the Year in Purdue in the Big Ten.
After spending his first three college seasons at Texas Tech, Shannon transferred to Illinois for the 2022-23 season and quickly became Illini’s main scorer with 17.2 points per game. He took the game to New Heights last season and earned a permanent ensh sin among the legends of the Illinois program.
The Minnesota Timber Wolves selected Shannon on the 27th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He appeared in 16 games as a rookie. With the NBA holding an All-Star break, Saturday was a natural time for Illini to celebrate his former star.
Next time you may want to have a thorough rehearsal just a few hours before the match time.
