The NBA playoffs are a wild ride, right? One minute you’re soaring and the next you’re in a deep hole. After the Timberwolves’ Game 3 beatdown of OKC, making it 2-1, there was this electric buzz. Everyone felt the Wolves had found their secret sauce, especially with rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. stepping up. And get this: Stephen A. Smith spilled that a pre-Game 3 chat with Wolves part-owner A-Rod hinted at Shannon Jr.’s big role in Anthony Edwards‘ future and the team’s championship dreams.

But then, oof, Game 4 happened. And just like that, the script flipped again. The Thunder, showing their MVP-led resilience (shoutout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander!), battled back in a nail-biter on the Wolves’ home court. They snatched a brutal 128-126 win to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Shai went off for 40 points, and Anthony Edwards? He had a tough night, held to just 16. That kind of game, where your superstar struggles and you lose, makes those conversations about the future feel super relevant.

So, let’s rewind to what Stephen A. was spilling after that hopeful Game 3. He was on “First Take,” and he started talking about seeing Terrence Shannon Jr. out on the court before Game 3, grinding, putting in that extra work. Then, Stephen A. said A-Rod himself, the baseball legend now part of the T-Wolves ownership, pointed right at Shannon Jr. and told him, “Stephen A., that kid right there? That’s the future. That’s one of our future assets.” 

And Stephen A. said A-Rod wasn’t just blowing smoke. Smith was genuinely blown away by what Shannon Jr. did when he finally got his shot in that Game 3 pressure cooker. He raved about how this kid “came off the bench for Minnesota and made an instant impact.” Shannon Jr. dropped 9 points in just 4 minutes in that game! But it wasn’t just the points that counted. Stephen A. pointed out that Shannon Jr. brought a level of “athleticism that matched what OKC had been throwing at Minnesota all series.” It was like, finally, someone else could keep up!

Now, here’s where it gets really really interesting, especially after seeing Ant’s struggles in Game 4. Stephen A. broke it down like this: in Games 1 and 2 (and now, we can totally add Game 4 to this list), you could practically see the frustration mounting for Anthony Edwards. Why? Per Smith, Ant often felt like he “was the only guy putting the ball on the floor and driving.” OKC keyed in on that. They basically dared the rest of the Timberwolves to beat them. 

But when Terrence Shannon Jr. came into Game 3 with that fearless, attacking style? That shifted everything. Suddenly, the Timberwolves had two guys who could get downhill, who could break down the defense.

What A-Rod’s comment and Shannon Jr.’s Game 3 breakout revealed, through Stephen A.’s lens, is a glimpse into the future the Wolves desperately need: a future where Anthony Edwards isn’t the only offensive creator. If Shannon Jr. can consistently bring that aggressive, athletic attack, it means more help for Ant, better balance, and a much tougher team to scheme against.

Is Shannon Jr really Anthony Edwards’ new “wing” man?

It’s one thing for owners and analysts to hype up a rookie, but when Anthony Edwards himself gives his teammate props, you really start to listen. Ant, never one to mince words, actually gave us the real inside scoop on Shannon Jr. earlier this season.

He told FanSided reporter Will Eudy, “He’s a dog, man. We be playing ones, he be busting my butt.” Hold up – a rookie is “busting Ant’s butt,” in one-on-one? That tells you everything about Shannon Jr.’s competitiveness and talent. Ant broke down Shannon Jr.’s game: “He’s a straight-line driver, and he loves contact. You don’t run into too many basketball players that don’t shy away from contact. That’s what I love about him.”

Mike Conley, the vet point guard, sees the similarities too. He called Shannon Jr. a “one-man fastbreak” and said he can apply “the same amount of pressure” in transition as Ant. Conley also noted that Shannon Jr. and Ant have “very similar body types and just play downhill.” That’s huge. If you’ve got two athletic, downhill attackers on the floor, it totally changes how defenses have to play you.

So why hasn’t Shannon Jr. played more? Well, the Wolves are a deep team, stacked with veterans. As Shannon Jr. himself said, “I knew I was going to have to work my butt off to get in the rotation or even get minutes.” He’s been putting in the work, staying ready. He and Ant apparently play one-on-one “all the time,” and they’ve “gelled right away.”

With some key Wolves like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid (and maybe even Julius Randle, depending on how things shake out) heading into free agency, Shannon Jr.’s “time,” as he put it, might be coming sooner rather than later. Coach Chris Finch even said after Game 3, “You’re definitely going to see him more.”

Look, nobody’s saying Terrence Shannon Jr. is the next Anthony Edwards. But if he can consistently be that second guy and brings that relentless energy, he could be exactly the kind of “future asset” A-Rod was talking about!