CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – During halftime of Saturday’s Illinois-Michigan State game, the Illinois athletic department honored former men’s basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. by unveiling a banner to commemorate his pivotal role in leading the team to its first Elite Eight appearance since 2005. However, an unfortunate mistake turned the moment into an unexpected and memorable one: the banner was revealed upside-down.

Despite the mishap, Shannon, now a guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, took the situation in stride, transforming it into a motivational opportunity. On Tuesday, Shannon announced a special fundraiser featuring a shirt design inspired by the upside-down jersey moment. The front of the shirt showcases the now-infamous banner, while the back carries the empowering message: “When life has you upside down, turn it around!” with the word “upside-down” displayed—literally—upside down.

The proceeds from the shirt sales will benefit the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club in Champaign, an organization Shannon has supported in the past.

Illinois athletic department officials acknowledged the blunder and issued a public apology for the mistake, with athletic director Josh Whitman expressing regret after the Illini’s 79-65 loss to Michigan State. “We need to make sure we understand that in life, mistakes happen,” Whitman said. “But there are also certain moments where mistakes can’t happen. And tonight, we stole that moment from Shannon, and that’s on us. We have apologized to him, apologized to his mom, and we want to make sure we apologize to our fans and everyone who was excited to be a part of this experience tonight.”