Basketball

NEWS: Terrence Shannon Jr Releases Statement; Endorsed by Lebron James

NEWS: Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr released a statement regarding Thursdays’ (6/13) trial verdict of not guilty.

Published

6 days ago

June 14, 2024

Kirkland Chappell

Mar 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) looks on against the Duquesne Dukes during the second half in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

NEWS: Terrence Shannon Jr Releases Statement

Former Illinois Basketball guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has released a statement on social media regarding Thursday’s (6/13) verdict of not guilty. The Illini star was accused of rape, following a September 2023 trip to Lawrence Kansas. The Illini star was there to cheer on Bret Bielema’s football team, as they took on the Jayhawks. However, the trip started a series of events that quickly changed Shannon’s world for 9 months. A number of former Illini players and current staff members tweeted out their support of Shannon Jr. After the reading was announced, NBA superstar, Lebron James, even tweeted out his support.

King Lebron James weighs in

To my Young 👑 Terrance Shannon Jr! 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. Anyways back to the regular scheduled program.

Great days ahead! ☀️☀️☀️✨✨✨

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 14, 2024

Ultimately, the impending charges led to Shannon missing out on honors like first-team all-American, and the Julius Irving Award, among others. Furthermore, the charges also led to Terrance dropping on many NBA draft boards. Though some outlets sustained Shannon’s projections of a first-round pick, many dropped him into the second round, or further. Of course, this potentially lowers the amount of money he could earn on a guaranteed contract. However, time will tell as we see Shannon already appearing higher on some draft lists.

Statement From Terrance Shannon Jr.

“Thank you to everyone who stood by me these last nine months. I knew I was innocent of these horrible crimes, and I had faith in God that someday everyone else would know that too. I am so grateful to all of you for believing in me, especially my family, friends, and legal team who’s support keep me going. I’m ready to put this chapter of my life behind me and fully focus on my path forward.”

– Terrence Shannon Jr.

❤️ pic.twitter.com/f0O9MlTX1b

— Terrence Shannon Jr (@Sn1per_T) June 14, 2024

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Kirkland Chappell

Kirkland is a go-to source for Illinois athletics news. He is the lead Football analyst at Armchair Illini and has been featured in top media publications like Bleacher Report, Yard Barker, Autograph, Newsbreak, CBS Sports and more.