Terrence Shannon Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The NBA Draft is in the rearview mirror and the Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed a pair of 18-year-old big men. Both Rocco Zikarski and Joan Beringer are expected in Las Vegas to play in the NBA Summer League.
Those two youngsters aren’t the only big names to represent the Timberwolves this summer. Minnesota needs Rob Dillingham to take serious steps forward this offseason and he’ll be given the chance to showcase where he’s at. Fellow first round pick Terrence Shannon Jr. will join him.
Second year talent make MN Timberwolves Summer League roster
Rob Dillingham looked like he needed much more development than Terrence Shannon Jr. did last season as rookies in the NBA. Both of them are going to get run for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the Summer League circuit in Las Vegas. The roster was made public on Thursday.
Name Position Experience
Amari Bailey Guard 1 year
Joan Beringer Center Rookie
Martez Brown Forward Rookie
Jamal Cain Forward 3 years
Jaylen Clark Guard 1 year
Rob Dillingham Guard 1 year
Nojel Eastern Guard Rookie
Jesse Edwards Center 1 year
CJ Fulton Guard Rookie
Leonard Miller Forward 3 years
Tristen Newton Guard 1 year
Babacar Sane Forward Rookie
Terrence Shannon Jr. Guard 1 year
Des Watson Guard Rookie
The most notable names on the roster outside of the two recent draft picks include Dillingham, Shannon Jr., Miller, and Clark. Each of them got run during different parts of the Minnesota Timberwolves regular season last year.
Shannon Jr. has arguably already outgrown the constraints of the Summer League. He played in 32 games last season for Minnesota and averaged 10.6 minutes per game. He scored just 4.3 points per game, but was a bright spot when the training wheels came off.
Terrence Shannon Jr. in the last 30 hours:
— 24 points
— 11 rebounds
— 7 assists
— 8/17 FG, 2/7 3P, 6/6 FT
— 49 minutes
Not only is he playing with nonstop energy, but he is also playing like a 30-year-old vet. Incredibly bought in on defense, and the offense has looked great. pic.twitter.com/NJUVhV0iAj
— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) February 14, 2025
The Timberwolves saw Shannon Jr. record a career-high 25 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in February, and he poured in double-digits on five separate occasions. With the departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shannon Jr. looks like a prime candidate to pick up extra minutes in the rotation.
It will be interesting to see how both Brenginer and Zikarski fare stateside. The former is expected to join Minnesota this season and could push for minutes as a backup center. The latter is expected to stay in Australia and continue to develop until the Timberwolves need his services.
Related: ESPN Expert Crowns Wolves as 1st Round NBA Draft Winner
Dillingham showed flashes that made him a lottery pick last season. Unfortunately they didn’t translate to consistent production at the NBA level and he was often riding the pine. The Minnesota Timberwolves desperately need a facilitator to run the offense and contribute behind Mike Conley. Dillingham’s opportunity is right in front of him.
The NBA Summer League starts on July 10 and the championship game is scheduled for July 20th. Minnesota kicks off their practices on Monday July 7th and will be led by assistant coach Kevin Hanson.
Mentioned in this article: Joan Beringer Rob Dillingham Rocco Zikarski Terrence Shannon Jr. More About:Minnesota Timberwolves