NBA draft candidate Terrence Shannon found not guilty of sexual assault, acquitted of all charges

Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged sexual assault.

Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was found not guilty of sexual assault and acquitted of all charges by a Kansas jury on Thursday. The verdict opens the door for Shannon, an NBA draft prospect, to proceed with the pre-draft process ahead of the June 26 NBA Draft.

Shannon was charged with rape and aggravated sexual assault. The incident occurred last September at a bar near the University of Kansas campus. Shannon was in town to watch the Jayhawks football game against Illinois. The woman who accused Shannon of groping and sexually assaulting her reported the incident to police the next day and underwent a sexual assault exam, but there was not enough DNA evidence to make a comparison.

In January, Shannon was suspended indefinitely by Illinois due to the charges, but later received a temporary restraining order from a judge allowing him to play. The 23-year-old guard has been greeted with boos and chants related to the charges throughout the season.

Shannon helped the Illini to an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, but he and the team remained silent on the litigation throughout March. Shannon also addressed the allegations at the NBA Draft Combine, acknowledging that they were “serious,” but has repeatedly denied the allegations since the charges were filed.

Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports has Shannon ranked 31st in her latest mock draft, with the first pick in the second round.