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File this one under “things you’ve probably never seen before.”
Illinois men’s basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. filed a temporary restraining order against his own team on Monday night.
The order seeks immediate reinstatement from an indefinite suspension which began in December after Shannon was charged with rape.
Terrence Shannon Hopes To Return To Illini Basketball Team Via Restraining Order
“TJ has constantly maintained his innocence,” Shannon’s attorney, Mark Goldenberg, told 247Sports. “All he wants is a fair process, and we don’t think he’s gotten that yet…He’s been granted no due process rights, no presumption of innocence, no fair and complete open opportunity to defend the claim.”
Shannon was surrendered to authorities in late December. The warrant for his arrest came in connection with a Sept. 8 incident in Kansas while he was in town to watch an Illinois football game at the University of Kansas.
For the first time, here is the sworn affidavit filed in Douglas County, Kan. against Terrence Shannon Jr. by the Lawrence Police Department.
Content warning: pic.twitter.com/f07oXmhNHA
— Andy Olson (@WCIA3Andy) January 9, 2024
In a sworn affidavit filed by the Lawrence Police Department, Shannon is accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on a campus bar in Lawrence, Kansas, on the night of Sept. 8. The woman consented to a sexual assault examination at a local hospital the next day and reported the incident to authorities.
Shannon’s attorney’s expect a ruling on the temporary restraining order within the week. If granted, he’d be free to return to the Illini. But the TRO would last just 10 days.
Shannon leads the 10th-ranked Illini in scoring with 21.7 points per game. He’s also shooting 40.8% from 3-point range. Shannon began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Illinois in 2022.