Terrence Shannon Jr. is on his way to the NBA just weeks after being acquitted of sexual assault charges in Kansas.
The versatile Illinois guard was taken 27th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are coming off a Western Conference Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks. Although he wasn’t in floor for Wednesday’s draft in Brooklyn, Shannon was seen in the crowd, where he was seen embracing friends and family.
Shannon Jr. was recently found not guilty of raping a woman in Kansas last September. At the time of the June 13 verdict, LeBron James wrote online that the 23-year-old Illini star deserved an apology.
‘To my Young (crown emoji) Terrance Shannon Jr!’ James wrote on X. ‘Love and Salute you! Proud of you!! God is Good!
‘The apologies should be 30X louder than the hate he got but we know how it goes,’ James said. ‘Anyways back to the regular scheduled program. Great days ahead!’
Terrence Shannon Jr. testifies during his trial on June 13. He’s now on his way to the NBA
LeBron James thinks some people owe the former Illinois star an apology
James’s message was later reposted by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
A former Illinois standout and a potential first-round pick in this month’s NBA Draft, Shannon was found not guilty Thursday on a rape charge after a jury in Douglas County, Kansas, spent less than two hours deliberating the verdict.
The 23-year-old Shannon was accused of committing sexual assault last September while visiting Kansas for a football game between the Illini and the Jayhawks. He was charged with rape or an alternative count of sexual battery, which led to him being suspended for six games; a federal judge later reinstated him, ruling that his civil rights had been violated.
Shannon testified that he joined two roommates and a few Kansas players at a bar on September 8, 2023, but he only had a few drinks and remembered everything that happened that night. Shannon said he didn’t learn of the rape allegation until several weeks later, and that he had never seen the 18-year-old woman who had accused him until the case had begun.
Shannon was drafted 27th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves during Wednesday’s draft
The 6-foot-6 Shannon can play point guard or shooting guard. He’s a potential first-round pick
The woman told police she was at the bar when a man, whom she later identified as Shannon, grabbed her buttocks and reached under her skirt to touch her. The woman claimed that the bar was crowded, so she was unable to move.
Shannon testified that a woman close to him had been raped and he would never treat another woman the same way.
Shannon’s lawyers called the allegations a ‘blind accusation’ and questioned the motives of the woman. They also criticized the prosecutors in Douglas County for a lack of evidence and a Lawrence detective for the thoroughness of his investigation.
The 6-foot-6 Shannon, who can play point guard and shooting guard, played five seasons for Illinois. He was at his best this past season, averaging 23 points for a team that reached the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion UConn.
Shannon was voted first-team All-Big Ten and a third-team All-American by The Associated Press.
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