Terrence Shannon Jr., recently acquitted of felony rape and aggravated assault charges, was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 27th pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night.
The Illinois guard was arrested last December following allegations of an incident in September at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas. A woman claimed Shannon pulled her toward him and digitally penetrated her shortly after they met. Shannon consistently denied the allegations, and his defense witnesses testified they never saw him approach the woman as described. The woman identified Shannon from a team roster online before contacting the police.
Following his arrest, Shannon was suspended by Illinois, which conducted its own investigation. He missed six games before obtaining a temporary restraining order that allowed him to return to the court. He led Illinois to the NCAA tournament, and the school later dropped its investigation due to insufficient evidence.
“The off-court reputation is sterling,” said Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly. “Talk to the coaches at Texas Tech and Illinois. They don’t say good things; they say amazing things. Obviously, he was on the wrong end of a really unfortunate situation, and his ability to play through that and win basketball games is a testament to his character.”
Connelly emphasized that the Timberwolves conducted extensive background checks on Shannon, valuing his experience, resilience, and scoring ability. “Oftentimes, the minute you’re accused, you’re found guilty. Thankfully he went through the legal process and chose to go to trial because he knew he did nothing wrong,” Connelly stated. “It’s a testament to who he is as a person and his ability to play through such a tough distraction.”
Before his arrest, Shannon was projected to be a top-25 pick in the draft. This season, he played in 31 games, averaging 23.0 points and 4.0 rebounds. As an explosive wing, Shannon is expected to bolster the Timberwolves’ perimeter defense and scoring in transition.
“I think he’s a three-position defender. I think he’s an unbelievably competitive guy. He’s got size. Another downhill guy who’s going to play with pace,” Connelly added.
Shannon’s journey to the NBA has been marked by significant challenges, but his perseverance and talent have ultimately led him to a promising professional career.
—
Photo Credit: Brocreative / Shutterstock.com