Brad Underwood praises how Terrence Shannon handled legal situation

Early in the year, Terrence Shannon Jr. was putting together a potential All-American season. The Illinois guard got off to a fast start, but found himself at the center of a rape case in Kansas partway through the year that resulted in a brief suspension.

Shannon returned to the court, though, and put together one of the best seasons in Fighting Illini history. But the legal situation continued, and it ended earlier this month when a jury found him not guilty on both the rape charge and sexual battery charge. That decision came down just weeks before the NBA Draft, and the chatter is growing about Shannon’s first-round potential.

But through the season, Brad Underwood saw how the former Texas Tech transfer handled everything thrown at him, including chants from opposing fans. During an appearance on SiriusXM College, Underwood praised Shannon for continuing through the legal issues and still putting together a standout season.

“Terrence is a wonderful, wonderful person,” Underwood told Matt Schick and Anthony Herron. “And I don’t know who could’ve handled that whole process the way he did. He’s felt, from day one, his day in court would prove what he’s always said. He was so conscious of how his teammates were being treated, life on the road with this, how his family was. He was probably, next to Zach [Edey], was probably having as good a year as anybody at the start of the season. Then, we had a six-game lull. Terrence still broke the Illinois record for the most points in a season and missed six games. Shot 287 free throws and missed six games.

“Some of the individual stuff that he accomplished this year was just phenomenal. But how, as a teammate, he handled it was really, really impressive. Had a 40-point game late in the year. Was just a tremendous two-way player, played both ends of the court. Great teammate, great worker. Those guys, you just wish nothing but great things for them.”

Terrence Shannon was the catalyst for Illinois’ run to its first Elite Eight since 2005 as he averaged 23 points while shooting 47% from the field, including 36.2% from three-point territory. His draft stock took a hit as the legal proceedings went along, but he’s been moving up draft boards since the not-guilty verdict came down. Illinois also announced plans to raise his No. 0 jersey to the rafters at State Farm Center.

In his final mock draft, On3’s James Fletcher III projected Shannon to go No. 25 overall to the New York Knicks. But others have him going higher in what’s seen as a weaker draft than recent years. He’ll be someone to watch Wednesday night when the NBA Draft gets underway from Barclays Center in New York.