MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves did some extra digging into Terrence Shannon Jr. before the NBA draft.
They found plenty of sources vouching for his character, bolstering their confidence in a dynamic player whose final season at Illinois was overshadowed by a rape charge he was recently exonerated of.
“The off-court reputation is sterling. Talk to the coaches at Texas Tech. Talk to the coaches at Illinois. They don’t say good things. They say amazing things,” Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said Wednesday night after taking Shannon with the 27th overall pick in the first round. “Obviously he was on the wrong end of a really unfortunate situation, and his ability to play through that and play winning basketball for a great coach in Brad Underwood — we just think he brings toughness.”
Shannon was found not guilty two weeks ago after a jury in Douglas County, Kansas, spent less than two hours deliberating the verdict. He was accused of sexual assault last September during a visit to Kansas for a football game between the Illini and the Jayhawks.
“Oftentimes, the minute you’re accused you’re found guilty. Thankfully he went the legal process. He chose to go to trial because he knew he did nothing wrong,” Connelly said. “I just think it’s a shame he went through that, and I think it’s a testament to who he is as a kid and his ability to play through a really tough distraction.”
The 6-foot-6 Shannon, who turns 24 next month, can play both guard positions. He started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to Illinois, leading the Illini to the Elite Elight in the NCAA Tournament before a loss to eventual national champion Connecticut. Shannon was voted first-team All-Big Ten and a third-team All-American by The Associated Press and was the Big Ten Tournament MVP for his performance in March at Target Center in Minneapolis, where he’ll now have his home games as a pro.
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