Texas Tech forward Terrence Shannon Jr. declared for the NBA draft this month (without an agent)

following a successful sophomore year campaign. Shannon averaged 12.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.4 APG in

26.7 minutes per game this past season for the Red Raiders.

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At around 6’6, Shannon is an intriguing prospect due to his size, natural athleticism and slashing ability.

Mock drafts have Shannon going anywhere from late first round to mid-second round or even undrafted

across different platforms.

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In this article, we break down Shannons’s strengths, improvement opportunities as well as analytical

data in different dimensions of his game.

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Strengths:

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1. Pure Athleticism

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The most obvious strength of Terrence Shannon’s game is his size and athleticism. At 6’6 with an elite

vertical and quick first step, Shannon is known for his highlight reel of high-flying dunks and tough

finishes around the rim where he uses his size and strength to his advantage.

While one only needs an eye test and a few highlight real dunks to see Shannon’s athletic ability, he

scored 1.389 PPP (points per possession) around the basket this past season, ranking in the 87 th

percentile nationally. It’s hard to miss Shannon’s physical traits and finishing skills when watching him

play.

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2. Cutting Instincts

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One of the most underrated aspects of Shannon’s game is his cutting instincts. Shannon scored 1.394

PPP (points per possession) on overall cutting plays this past season, ranking in the 82 nd percentile

nationally. Digging even deeper, Shannon scored 1.714 PPP (96 th percentile nationally) on basket cuts

specifically.

This aspect of Shannon’s game will reap benefits as I don’t project him being a high-volume scorer, nor

was he in college. After all, Shannon averaged 11.3 PPG over his career in two seasons at Tech. Creating

easy looks for himself as an intelligent cutter will be crucial for Shannon early in his NBA career as he

polishes his shot and other skills.

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3. Defensive Prowess

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Shannon’s ability to guard the 1-4 (and occasionally 5 in college) paid dividends for Texas Tech’s no-

middle defense last season. Texas Tech ranked 18 th in the nation last season in adjusted defensive

efficiency and 8 th in the nation in defensive TO%.

As the most athletic wing on the team, Shannon was an integral part of the defense and was seemingly

always on the floor last season. Shannon not only has the physical tools to be an effective NBA defender,

but also played in a great defensive system and has demonstrated the ability to defend at a high level in

college.

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Improvement Opportunities:

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1. Shooting Ability

 

The glaring knock on Shannon in his time during Lubbock is shooting ability. As a freshman, Shannon

showed hesitancy shooting three pointers, even when left wide open. However, there are reasons to be

bullish on Shannon’s jump shooting ability. Shannon has improved his three-point percentage from

25.7% to 35.7% from his freshman to sophomore season.

Not only has he showed improvement in three pointers, but Shannon has demonstrated an ability to hit

free throws at an efficient rate. In his college career, Shannon shot 82.9% from the free throw line as a

freshman and 75.6% from the free throw line as a sophomore.

While scouts would like to see Shannon’s consistency as a shooter improve, Shannon has shown

capability in terms of his mechanics as well as touch at the line and in spurts throughout his college

career.

To become a contributor on both ends of the floor in the NBA, Shannon will need to build upon his

already promising improvement as a shooter, especially considering the 3-point line is deeper in the

NBA.

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2. Driving Left / Finishing with right hand

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When viewing stats via Synergy, Shannon appears to show significant more success when driving right

compared to driving left. According to Synergy, Shannon scored 1.08 PPP (points per possession) when

driving right & ranked in the 85 th percentile nationally compared to scenarios where he drove left at

0.588 PPP (20 th percentile) as a sophomore. This theme is also consistent to his freshman year when

Shannon scored 1.231 PPP going right compared to 0.714 PPP driving left.

This initially surprised me as Shannon appears to pre-dominantly dribble left in the half court but shows

significant more success when driving right and finishing with his left hand or pulling up for a jumper. In

order to thrive in the NBA, Shannon will need to demonstrate the ability to successfully finish with his

right hand and show an ability to score driving left. *Insert videos where Shannon jabs hard and goes

right for a pull up jumper or a left handed layup*

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3. Passing and Playmaking

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In his college career, Shannon committed more turnovers (75) than assists (68). While Shannon has

potential to fit the mold of the modern 3&D NBA wing, his lack of ability to create looks for others could

hinder the volume of minutes he gets early in his career as his shot continues to develop.

While one could say Chris Beard’s motion offense and slow offensive pace during Shannon’s tenure at

Texas Tech didn’t do his ability to rack up assists many favors, Shannon appears to have tunnel vision

when attacking and only looking to score when there are opportunities to find open teammates.

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NBA Comparison:

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Kelly Oubre (ceiling)

Justin Anderson (floor)

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Reagan Freeman - April 23, 2021