Terrence Shannon Jr. dazzles in NBA Summer League debut

Terrence Shannon Jr.’s style of player is conducive to big numbers. He is someone who has all of the weapons to tear up the 2024 NBA Summer League.

After the former Illini superstar was selected with pick No. 27 in the NBA Draft, Shannon made his Minnesota Timberwolves debut in their first game of the Las Vegas Summer League.

The result of Shannon’s first showing with the Timberwolves?

Brilliance.

Shannon got the starting nod and didn’t disappoint. He played 27:32 in the game and finished the night with 25 points, three rebounds, two blocks, and one steal.

From the field, Shannon had a solid outing as well. He was 9-of-14 from the field and 1-of-4 from three-point range. His best ability is drawing contact and getting to the rim. Shannon was able to convert 75% from the charity stripe against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Honestly, this is about what I expected out of Shannon in the NBA Summer League. I wrote an article back on July 4 saying that fans should expect the full repertoire of Shannon during the Summer League. I think we got that in game one.

Shannon also started the game off with a huge highlight play. Just a few minutes into the game, Shannon hustled back on offense and stormed down the middle of the lane. His teammate found him, and Shannon finished with a huge dunk in the face of a defender.

There were pros and cons to the first NBA Summer League performance for Terrence Shannon Jr.

Let me first say, the pros far outweigh the cons. Shannon had a good game for his first professional outing.

The biggest pro for Shannon is that he played his style of basketball. He let his aggression and athletic ability shine brightly. He didn’t try to be something he wasn’t.

Shannon also converted at the free throw line. He might not be efficient from the field at times, but he has the ability to score points via the free throw line. He took advantage of this ability.

If I had to point out any cons about his performance, I would say his 0:3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Watching him at Illinois, I know Shannon can move the ball and create for his teammates. He is an efficient player.

This was a big first performance by Shannon. I expect to continue to see more big efforts out of this kid moving forward as well.