Fifth-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. will be eligible to return to team activities with Illinois men’s basketball following the approval of his temporary restraining order against the University of Illinois. A federal judge granted Shannon’s motion on Friday, meaning the guard will be allowed to return to the floor for the Illini effective immediately.
Shannon was suspended from the program on Dec. 28 after being charged with rape in Lawrence, Kansas. In a statement released by the University of Illinois Associate Chancellor Robin Kaler, Shannon will be fully reinstated back into the program.
“We have received the Court’s Order,” Kaler said. “Effective immediately, Terrence Shannon Jr. has been reinstated to full status as a University student-athlete and will be available for basketball practice and competition. We will continue to review the Court Order and monitor the case.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to re-join my teammates and get back to work,” Shannon posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, following the announcement.
UPDATE: On Saturday, head coach Brad Underwood held a press conference and confirmed that upon being reinstated to the team, Shannon began practicing with the team again on Friday. Shannon will not start against Rutgers on Sunday as he works to get back into game shape.
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“Terrence has been gone for six games,” Underwood said. “He’s been gone for three weeks and there’s an integration process that takes place there. He has been away from the team in terms of team workouts. He was allowed to take part in individual workouts, conditioning, continue lifting and doing those sort of things with (Adam Fletcher) which will help him, but there’s game shape and play. I will not start him tomorrow; this is a phenomenal league, we’ve got a great opponent in Rutgers and there’s an integration process that will take place and be fair to everybody involved in that process.”
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