Sixers Draft Profile: Texas Tech's Terrence Shannon Jr.
The Sixers should be eyeing a point guard with the 28th pick in the upcoming NBA draft. But depending on how things fall, grabbing a wing player might not be the worst of decisions. One forward they should keep their eyes on is Terrence Shannon Jr.
Shannon is a six-foot-six, 210-pound guard/wing coming out of Texas Tech. He is fresh off a sophomore season where he posted averages of 12.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG.
With an NBA-ready frame, Shannon can hang with the athletes at the next level. His skill set matches the prototypical wing player of today's game.
Whether it's in the open floor or just getting downhill, Shannon is at his best when attacking the rim. He never misses an opportunity to punish the rim and show off his hyper-athleticism.
Shannon is also not scared to take his game to the perimeter. He shot 35.7% from beyond the arc on three attempts per game. His shot is best when spotting up and shooting off the catch. This reliability aids him to draw defenders in and blow by them for easy looks at the rim.
While he is able to put the ball on the floor, Shannon is not necessarily labeled a shot-creator. At best, he can get a good shot off in late shot-clock situations. But Shannon isn't a guy regularly getting looks in isolation. Straight line drives to the basket are the name of his game.
Shannon also shows promise on the other side of the floor. His six-foot-eight wingspan gives him the ability to defend multiple positions at the NBA level. In college, Shannon showed he can be a capable team defender. He has good instincts and uses his long arms to be a menace in the passing lanes.
If drafted, Shannon is an ideal fit for the Sixers. His athleticism, along with three-and-D potential, makes him an enticing prospect. Depending on how things go with the Sixers' current free agents, they might need wing players for the end of the bench.
He might not be able to contribute in year one, but it will not take long for Shannon to start competing for regular minutes. With how seamless his game transitions to the next level, he could be a rotation piece by year two.
Athletic wings that can defend and hit shots on the outside are worth their weight in gold. He might not fit the Sixers' biggest area of concern, but Shannon is worth considering when they are on the clock in the first round.
Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.