ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Shouts Out Former Illini Terrence Shannon Jr. on 'First Take'

Talking head Stephen A. Smith and ESPN's primary morning sports-talk vehicle "First Take" typically reserve their breath and air time for the biggest topics: LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Lakers. Pat Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs – and, of course, Taylor Swift. You gotta play the hits.

But on Monday, Smith went on the program and offered an anecdote about a recent interaction with new Minnesota Timberwolves owner (and former Major League Baseball superstar) Alex Rodriguez regarding an NBA rookie who has struggled to crack T-Wolves coach Chris Finch's rotation all season: former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr.

"[Alex Rodriguez] was telling me before the game," Smith shared, "'You see that kid right there' – pointed right at him – he said, 'That's the future, Stephen A. That's one of our future assets. That brother is bright.'"

It's unclear where exactly this conversation fell on the NBA playoffs timeline, but the news peg was clear: Shannon on Saturday had sparked Minnesota with instant offense (15 points total), entering at the start of the second quarter of a Western Conference Finals series-saving Game 3 against Oklahoma City, which came into the game up 2-0.

"He comes off the bench, he scores nine points in four minutes, he's aggressive, he's looking for his shot, he's attacking the basket," Smith said. "But most importantly, his athleticism matched what OKC had been throwing at Minnesota in Games 1 and 2."

Shannon's hard-charging halfcourt drives combined with his speed and finishing ability in transition helped the T-Wolves coast to a 143-101 blowout win, and Smith accounted the turnaround specifically to the rookie bringing a certain energy that previously had been lacking around star Minnesota star Anthony Edwards against the Thunder.

"In Games 1 and 2 – particularly after Game 2 – I saw frustration in Ant Man," Smith said. "What was it? He was the lone person who could put the ball on the floor and attack, OKC knew that and they viewed everybody else as spot-up shooters. Shannon comes into [Game 3] and changes all of that, and feeds the rest of the cats and inspires them to be just as aggressive as he was, which helped Ant Man. [Rodriguez] said, 'Ant Man set the tone, but Shannon followed it.'"

Talk is cheap. Let's be honest: It can be virtually valueless in the arena of sports punditry. But aside from what Finch may or may not see, and whether we're watching Shannon make his bones in real time, the team's owner clearly views Shannon as a cornerstone of the Timberwolves' future. That's not nothing.

Oklahoma City edged Minnesota 128-126 on Monday to go up 3-1 and nudge the T-Wolves to the precipice of elimination, so there may be only hours left in Shannon's rookie season. But the page that it turns could lead to an entirely new chapter in which the former Illini star takes on a much more prominent role for Minnesota.

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