2023 March Madness 10 best players by region: West
4. Terrence Shannon Jr., G, Illinois
Zach Edey and Trayce Jackson-Davis dominated a lot of the headlines in the Big Ten this year, but one of the best players in the conference was Shannon Jr. After transferring to Illinois from Texas Tech where he gained plenty of valuable NCAA Tournament experience, Shannon Jr. helped the Fighting Illini back to the Big Dance by averaging 17.1 points. There aren鈥檛 many guards across the entire country who can get to the basket and finish around the rim like he can, and whenever Illinois needs a big shot, they can turn to the 6-foot-6 senior guard. The Illini have been inconsistent at times this year, in part because Shannon Jr. was out of the lineup for a few games, but if he can continue his strong play, perhaps Illinois can make a surprise run to the tournament鈥檚 second weekend.
Terrence Shannon Jr. responded when challenged earlier this season.
He had another response in Thursday's comeback win vs. No. 21 Northwestern. spotlights the star's role and path back home 猡碉笍.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)
