Ex-Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr., potential first-round NBA draft pick, not guilty of rape

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Basketball Writer

Former Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr., a potential first-round NBA draft pick, was found not guilty Thursday on a rape charge in Kansas. A jury in Douglas County spent less than two hours deliberating the verdict. The 23-year-old Shannon was accused of committing sexual assault last September while visiting Kansas for a football game between the Illini and the Jayhawks. He was charged with rape or an alternative count of sexual battery, which led to him being suspended for six games; a a federal judge later reinstated him, ruling that his civil rights had been violated. Shannon is among the top guards available in the draft, which is scheduled for June 26-27. He was first-team All-Big Ten and a third-team All-American this past season.