NBA Draft: Is Terrence Shannon Jr. this year’s Brandon Miller?

Terrence Shannon Jr. is entering the NBA Draft with a lot of questions stemming off an off the court incident. NBA fans of a certain age might remember Brandon Miller having to deal with uncertainties off the floor as well heading into the 2023 NBA Draft. We’ll take a look at whether Shannon has a chance to make a rookie impact like the one Miller did in 2023-2024.

Shannon is going to trial for felony aggravated battery charges a couple of weeks before the NBA Draft, according to an ESPN report.

The matter stems from an event allegedly involving Shannon Jr. and a woman at a bar in Kansas.

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Shannon pleaded not guilty, but a Kansas judge believed there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial.

The University of Illinois suspended Shannon for six games, before he returned to the court on January 21. According to ESPN, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order allowing that to take place.

According to ABC Chicago, the University of Illinois dropped its investigation into the claims being made against Shannon Jr. in April. Some might believe that this took place because it was a foregone conclusion that Shannon Jr. was heading to the NBA, anyway.

Brandon Miller’s name was also wrapped up in a cloud of legal uncertainty last spring. According to The Tuscaloosa News, Miller was allegedly texted by a former basketball teammate to bring the latter a firearm.

Unfortunately, the player that received the gun, Darius Miles (not the former NBA star from the 2000s) and another man faced capital charges in the death of 23-year-old Jonae Harris.

While Miller did not end up getting charged, his name was still besmirched due to allegedly providing the murder weapon. He was also named in a wrongful death lawsuit back in October 2023, according to ESPN.

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Miller’s attorney said that the former University of Alabama basketball star and current Charlotte Hornets player did not know the weapon would be used dangerously after delivery.

The Hornets weren’t scared off of the situation involving Miller, as they still selected him with the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, it does appear as if Shannon Jr.’s draft prospects have taken a hit with a trial looming.

Without going too much into the potential legal consequences Shannon Jr. may face, his ability on the court appears to be hard to deny. He had a knack for scoring the basketball, averaging 23 points per game in his final season with Illinois, as noted on Sports Reference’s website.

NBA front offices are going to have to weigh the positives and drawbacks of bringing Shannon Jr. to their city. He may not have the upside Miller did, who came into the NBA as a freshman. However, Shannon Jr.’s consistent play and good size at 6’6” may make him someone who can contribute at the next level right away.

Bleacher Report believes that Shannon Jr. projects favorably to Kelly Oubre Jr. They wrote “his speed and shot-making should still translate to scoring in a secondary or bench-spark role that’s similar to Kelly Oubre Jr.’s.” Oubre Jr. has been a solid NBA player, most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers.

There is a wide range of outcomes for Shannon Jr., and a lot of it may depend on his legal situation rather than his basketball ability. Athlon Sports pegged the wing player at number 12 overall in a mock draft in March, but Bleacher Report suggests he could go undrafted if the trial goes against Shannon Jr.

In what has been called a weak draft class by many, NBA front offices may seriously consider Shannon Jr.’s skill set as one that may be more bankable than others. It’ll be fascinating to see where he lands on draft night, and if he’s able to provide a spark like Miller did right out of the gate.

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