Knicks Could Draft Prospect After Rape Charges Drop

The New York Knicks and the rest of the league are reacting to the results of a court case in Kansas that is affecting their 2024 NBA Draft boards.

According to WCIA 3 News, Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was found not guilty of aggravated sexual battery.

The not-guilt verdict was even celebrated by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on social media.

To my Young 👑 Terrance Shannon Jr! Love and Salute you! Proud of you!! God is Good! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

The apologies should be 30X louder than the hate he got but we know how it goes. Anyways back to the regular scheduled program.

Great days ahead! ☀️☀️☀️✨✨✨
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 14, 2024

Shannon, 23, has been actively fighting these charges as he's been preparing for the NBA Draft. With his innocence in the balance, however, it has made teams weary of selecting him in case he was found guilty. But with his not-guilty charge, ESPN's Jonathan Givony believes he should be a top-25 pick.

The Knicks hold the Nos. 24 & 25 picks in the NBA Draft, and will now have good reason to select him if he's available at that spot.

Shannon averaged 23 points per game this past season at Illinois, which ranked third in the country. He spent nearly the entire year dealing with these allegations off the court, but he responded with, by far, the best season of his five-year career.

In March, when the lights were brightest, Shannon took things up another notch. He scored 28 points or more in each of the team's Big Ten Tournament games. Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament and became a 3-seed for the NCAA Tournament. Shannon continued his hot streak, scoring 26, 30 and 29 points respectively as the Illini made it all the way to the Elite 8, losing to the eventual National Champion UConn Huskies in the process.

In a draft without many volume scoring threats, Shannon should stand out. His five years of experience in college should also have him well-prepared for the NBA and make him more likely to contribute right out of the gate.

The Knicks could really benefit from having a scorer off the bench, similar to what the team had when Immanuel Quickley was on the roster. Depending on how much his stock grows in the next week or two, the Knicks may have to trade up in order to acquire him. But if he's there at No. 24, it would be extremely hard for New York to not put his name on the card for the commissioner.

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