Former Illini Player Terrence Shannon Reacts To Non-Guilty Verdict In Rape Trial Case

Shandel Richardson | Jun 13, 2024

Mar 30, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts with guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) against the Connecticut Huskies in the finals of the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon just exhaled once he heard the words in the courtroom.

"Not guilty."

Finally, it was over. Shannon could relax after months of scrutiny surrounding his rape case. Two days after the trial began Monday, he was cleared of all charges.

Shannon took to social media to express his feelings. He simply posted, "AGTG" [All The Glory To God] next to a prayer emoji followed by the hashtag #NOTGUILTY. It appeared above one of his workout videos.

AGTG 🙏🏽 #NOTGUILTY pic.twitter.com/tJTtwcLldh

— Terrence Shannon Jr (@Sn1per_T) June 13, 2024

Former Illinois forward Marcus Domask was one of the first to speak out following the verdict, sharing, "MOOD [fire emoji] Go be great in the league family [heart emoji]." Domask's application for another year of collegiate eligibility was denied, leading him to enter the 2024 NBA Draft.

Ex-Illini teammate Coleman Hawkins had much to say about the case being settled, sharing a heartfelt message on X.

"Not celebrating because I know who my guy is… imagine playing in front of sell out crowds with people saying the craziest things to you and you’re innocent," Hawkins wrote. "Extremely proud of my guy to be able to block out all that noise and compete at an extremely high level."

Shannon can now once again focus on basketball. He is projected as a first-round pick in a few weeks in the NBA draft. Former NBA player Randolph Childress likes Shannon's potential because he is a seasoned player. He spent five years in college, playing three at Texas Tech before transferring to Illinois.

"I would draft him," Childress said on The Field Of 68 podcast. "In this draft , there's not many guards I'm taking over him. I say that because I know what I'm getting Day One. I don't care about his age."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illini Now. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com