Following the splashy commerce to maneuver as much as No. 8 total within the 2024 NBA Draft with a purpose to choose microwave scorer Rob Dillingham out of Kentucky, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly and his employees spherical out an extremely spectacular Spherical 1 by drafting Illinois star wing Terrence Shannon Jr. with the twenty seventh total choose.
Buying and selling up for Dillingham means the Wolves difficulty an much more costly luxurious tax invoice, which may additional hamper what they do in free company this summer season. After discovering their potential level guard for the long run, names resembling Baylor Scheierman floated round as a goal at No. 27 with the potential unlikelihood of bringing again Kyle Anderson. Nonetheless, Minnesota made a variety that may probably influence successful instantly however, primarily based on the depth chart, can be geared towards the long run in Shannon Jr., a hyperathletic slasher who must be NBA scorer if his 3-point shot continues to progress.
Shannon, 23, spent 5 years taking part in at a collegiate degree. He started with Texas Tech in 2019, the place he spent three seasons, averaging 11 factors to associate with 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 45.6% from the ground (8.0 makes an attempt) and 35.1% from past the arc (2.5 makes an attempt). In 2022, Terrence transferred to Illinois, the place he’s been for the final two years. He had a breakout 2023-24 marketing campaign with the Preventing Illini, registering 23 factors, 4 rebounds, and a couple of.2 assists on 47.5% from the ground (14.4 makes an attempt) and 36.2% from vary (6.7 makes an attempt) over 31 video games.
The 6-foot-5 guard excels when placing his head down and attacking the basket, however he doesn’t essentially want the ball in his arms to be efficient. Off-ball motion can be a power for Terrence, an space the place he makes use of his high-level athleticism to seek out success.
Moreover, the Chicago native is a pesky and bodily defender, which is all the time a sought-after talent popping out of the draft. He thrives in transition by pushing the tempo, which is an efficient praise to being a productive perimeter defender.
The Ringer compares Shannon’s sport to Tyreke Evens, a productive scorer with a dependable 3-point shot all through his 10-year NBA profession.
Shannon will not be the ground spacing ahead that some followers have been hoping for, however the upside is there, even when he isn’t a rotational piece instantly. Connelly and his employees chosen two guards in what was a productive first spherical. Dillingham has the potential to influence successful instantly together with his offense, whereas Shannon, geared up with uncooked defensive chops and wonderful rim-running tendencies, can probably give the Wolves plug-and-play minutes subsequent season however may also proceed to develop his offensive sport, notably from vary.
Total, Wolves followers ought to go to mattress pleased with what their staff pulled off tonight. And tomorrow, we get to do it once more, with Minnesota presently proudly owning the thirty seventh choose. The second spherical will begin at 3:00 PM CT. Streaming will probably be out there on ESPN.