The Minnesota Timberwolves select Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 27 overall in the first round of the NBA Draft.
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 Eight 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.
The Timberwolves were elated to get Shannon as a complement to Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, whom they jumped in to trade for at No. 8 overall through a trade with San Antonio.
“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.