Shavon Shields Leaves Nebraska With A Legacy

About four years ago, a high school senior from Overland Park, Kansas was packing up his things and preparing for his departure to start summer school at the University of Nebraska.  Recognized as a top player in Kansas City, Kansas, he packed up his things and anticipated what college basketball would look like.  The University of Nebraska men's basketball program was in an odd place.  They had just finished their first year in the Big Ten Conference and their head coach, Doc Sadler had just been fired.  Tim Miles was starting his first year as head coach for the program.  When he committed in September of 2011, he had no idea this is what he would be walking in to.

Shavon Shields was this high school senior.  A three-star forward out of Kansas, he set records at his high school. At Olanthe Northwest High School, he averaged 21.2 points, 3 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game.  He and Willie Cauley-Stein, a former Kentucky Wildcat now Sacramento King, were the first two players in their high school history to sign letters of intent to play Division I college basketball.

Shields developed in to quite an athlete in his four years at Nebraska.  Freshmen year, he averaged 8.6 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game.  Sophomore year, his numbers increased to 12.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. Junior year, he averaged 15.4 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. He finished his career ranked 5th on Nebraska's all-time scoring list with 1,630 points. Despite a concussion and missing games his senior season, he still had a productive year on the court.

But for Shields, he was so much more than an athlete to Nebraska.  He was a successful student, a role model, and he was dedicated to his school.  Shavon Shields is son of Will Shields, a University of Nebraska alum.  Will Shields played football for the Cornhuskers from 1989-1992.  He had a successful career as an offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs and is famously known for never missing a game in the fourteen seasons he played.

Shavon grew up watching his dad's success on the field as a player and off the field. In the summer of 2013, Shavon played basketball in Denmark's U-20, which helped his game tremendously.  Over the course of his four years, Shields became a versatile athlete that played all over the court.  On the defensive end, he developed in to a solid and reliable defender.  On the offensive end, he had a variety of ways he could score.  He drove to the lane, he drove to the lane and kicked it out to other players, he finished around the rim, and he was also a threat from beyond the arc.  He was an incredible athlete and lead his team in every way he could.  Tim Miles relied on him to create offense, especially this past season with the departure of Terran Pettaway, who chose to forgo his final year of eligibility for the NBA.

Whether you're a Nebraska fan or not, Shavon Shields is a name you'll always remember for his outstanding career as one of the top athletes in the Big Ten.  Shields is preparing for a career in the NBA.  Although he is not projected to be taken in the draft, he has a great shot at getting chosen by a team as an un-drafted free agent. Shields had an incredible college basketball career.  Although his time at Nebraska is up, he is leaving quite a legacy behind.