5 Players Wolves fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament

1. Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois

By far the best scorer on the list and one of the best in all of college basketball, Terrence Shannon Jr. is a potential draft riser come tournament time. This season, Shannon Jr. has averaged 23.0 points per game for the Fighting Illini. Shannon Jr. ranks third in college basketball in scoring.

The only downside to Shannon Jr.'s scoring number is his advanced age. It took Shannon Jr. several seasons to take off. Come next season, Shannon Jr. will be 24-years-old. Thus, it's imperative his shot-making transitions right away.

In his first three seasons at Texas Tech, Shannon Jr. maxed out at 12.9 points per game. His leap occurred after he transferred to Illinois. Since arriving in the Big 10, Shannon Jr. has averaged no less than 17.0 points per game.

The 23-year-old wing is your prototypical shot-maker. He stands at 6-foot-6, weighs 225 pounds, and possesses jaw-dropping athleticism. He gets to the rim with ease, using a slithery driving style to score around defenders. Shannon Jr. can also finish over shot-blockers using his elite vertical.

As a driver, Shannon Jr. has a propensity to draw fouls. The athletic guard is fourth in the NCAA in free throw attempts per game. Of the top-5 foul-drawers, he's the highest percentage shooter, knocking down 80.9 percent of his freebies.

On the defensive end, Shannon Jr. has the tools, but his effort level wanes. He's incredibly athletic, which allows for highlight plays such as chase-down blocks and out-of-nowhere steals. It should be noted that his low effort level may due to his heavy offensive-burden.

In the NBA, Shannon Jr. projects as a high-volume scorer a la Devin Vassell or Malik Monk. However, it's not far-fetched to assume a Nickeil Alexander-Walker-like projection. Shannon Jr. is the better athlete, but it's likely he shoots a poor percentage in the big leagues—then in turn, prioritizing defense to keep his place in a rotation.