Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jeremiah Fears Get Chippy in NBA Summer League

Former Illini Terrence Shannon Jr. and one-time Illinois commit Jeremiah Fears clashed Thursday in Summer League play

Apr 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (00) prepares to play the Brooklyn Nets before the game at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Terrence Shannon Jr. may only be entering his second NBA season, but the soon-to-be 25-year-old has loads of high-level basketball experience under his belt – including meaningful minutes in the 2025 Western Conference Finals against the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

So despite the former Illini wing only having no more than a year of NBA seniority over any of his Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League teammates, Shannon – who had a spectacular 2025 summer league debut – is the natural choice as Minnesota’s veteran presence, and therefore, protector.

So it was that, at the tail end of the first half against the New Orleans on Thursday, Pelicans lottery pick Jeremiah Fears – a former Illinois commit who eventually landed at Oklahoma – gave Timberwolves first-round pick Joan Beringer a little chicken wing that Shannon wasn’t a fan of. 

Shannon’s response? A shove for a shove.

Except the 216-pound Shannon put a bit of extra oomph on his shove, pinballing the 183-pound Fears – who, mind you, is just 18 years old – across the lane.

It's getting a little chippy in the summer league 👀

Terrence Shannon Jr. shoved Jeremiah Fears after Fears shoved Joan Beringer 😳 pic.twitter.com/CHTHwn54vc

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 10, 2025

After some jawing between the pair and some prototypical NBA holding back of teammates, both Shannon and Fears walked away from the altercation.

In a postgame interview, Shannon spoke about sticking up for his rook:

“Joan ain’t gonna say nothing back,” Shannon said. "I gotta have my boy's back."

Terrence Shannon Jr on sticking up for Joan Beringer at the end of the half

“I was just telling him(Fears) to chill out man, because Joan aint gonna say nothing back(laughing) I gotta have my boys back. If I see something I aint gonna let it slide”#WolvesBack pic.twitter.com/kV3Iji0Nma

— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) July 10, 2025

At the same time, Shannon made it clear that there would be no lingering ill will between the pair of Illinois natives:

“Fears is my boy,” he said.

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