The meat of the NBA Summer League has commenced, as all franchises have their teams out in Las Vegas.
This is a chance for NBA scouts and coaches to see what they have on the court. There are quite a few former Illini who are suiting up, and Terrence Shannon Jr. had the privilege of leading off the Summer League festivities with his Minnesota Timberwolves squad.
Shannon is coming off a rookie season where he didn’t get much shine. Playing in 32 games and starting just one of those contests, Shannon made the most of his time, averaging 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and shooting 35.5% from behind the three-point arc.
Throughout the Timberwolves' season, many fans were clamoring for Shannon to see more time. You could see his potential each chance he had on the court, but with so much talent ahead of him, it was hard for the electric guard to settle into his role.
That is why I think Shannon has so much to gain or lose in the 2025 Summer League. We know what he can do on the court, but for the first few years, it is going to be a constant proving ground for Shannon and his abilities.
Shannon has to show out in the Summer League. By doing so, he will not just impress scouts and coaches, but he will likely guarantee that he won’t be seeing G-League time anymore and will be a big part of the Minnesota rotation.
The Timberwolves were first up in the Las Vegas Summer League, and with the world watching, Shannon showed up in a big way.
Shannon finished the victory over the New Orleans Pelicans with 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
Terrence Shannon Jr. was on full display in the first NBA Summer League game
It wasn’t Shannon’s shooting that wowed me on Thursday. In fact, he only shot 22.2% from three-point range. It was more of what Shannon did on the court that had NBA skills involved.
Shannon continued to prove he could create space by himself. That is a huge asset in the NBA, and Shannon’s handles and quick moves enable him to get the space needed to pull up from anywhere on the court.
The weapons that Shannon possesses, the ability to shoot from anywhere or drive to the basket, make him so dangerous. Defenders know that, and Shannon uses that to his advantage. I can’t tell you how many times he drove the lane and dished the ball out to an open man when the Pelicans’ defense collapsed. Shannon was also displaying his court vision with some tremendous cross-court passes to a man in the corner.
For the past few seasons, Minnesota needed to rely on someone like Nickeil Alexander-Walker for minutes and production. Those minutes and production are now up for grabs. Shannon seems like he is the lead dog to claim them, as he continues to prove he belongs in the next level.