Breadcrumb Trail Links
Basketball
NBA
Author of the article:
Associated Press
Associated Press
Published Jul 03, 2025 • 3 minute read
Former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore, who was convicted July 3, 2025, of raping a woman, is pictured in a courtroom in Oregon City, Ore., on June 17, 2025.
Former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore, who was convicted July 3, 2025, of raping a woman, is pictured in a courtroom in Oregon City, Ore., on June 17, 2025. Photo by Beth Nakamura /AP
Article content
OREGON CITY, Ore. — Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman during a lake house party attended by many of his then-teammates from the Portland Trail Blazers, a jury ruled Thursday.
Advertisement 2
The Province
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.
Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.
The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.
Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.
Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.
The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.
Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
Enjoy additional articles per month.
Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
Enjoy additional articles per month
Get email updates from your favourite authors
Sign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
The jury in Clackamas County, south of Portland, found McLemore, 32, guilty of rape, unlawful sexual penetration and one count of sexual abuse. He was found not guilty on another count of sexual abuse, Portland television station KGW reported.
Article content
Article content
Sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday.
“We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender’s community status,” District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement.
The charges stemmed from a party Oct. 3, 2021, at the Lake Oswego home owned by his Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington.
Canucks Report Banner
Canucks Report
Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Canucks Report will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the sexual encounter was rape, while McLemore’s attorney countered it was consensual sex.
Read More
[Michael Jordan's former mansion is now available to rent via Airbnb.
Anyone can now rent Michael Jordan's former mansion, but cash is king](https://torontosun.com/entertainment/celebrity/anyone-can-now-rent-michael-jordans-former-mansion-but-cash-is-king)
2. [Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets works against Ochai Agbaji of the Toronto Raptors during a game this past season.
Canadian NBA star says ex-girlfriend threatened to cut off his fingers](https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/dillon-brooks-ex-girlfriend-threatened-cut-off-fingers)
The woman said she was incapacitated after a night of heavy drinking and was unable to give consent. Prosecutors submitted photos of the woman hovering over a toilet and then passed out on a couch, The Oregonian/Oregon Live earlier reported.
She said she woke up at one point during the rape and froze in terror.
“I don’t know who this person is,” she testified. “This is a random person that is doing something like this to me.” The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Advertisement 4
Article content
At one point, she said she let her body slide to the floor in an effort to stop the assault. The woman testified McLemore pulled her back onto the couch and continued.
Covington earlier testified he saw the woman flirting with McLemore while they sat on a couch.
McLemore testified he was also drinking but claimed the sex was consensual. He also said he and the woman did not have a conversation before, during or after the act, after which he immediately left the home.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Loading...
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
One of his attorneys, Kris Winemiller, said McLemore left after receiving an angry message from his then-wife, who tracked him and wanted to know why he wasn’t in their own Lake Oswego home.
Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy said there was no confusion. “When you look at all the surrounding circumstances and you assess the evidence in this case, I submit to you that the defendant is guilty,” he said during closing arguments Tuesday.
Advertisement 5
Article content
Another defence attorney, Lisa Maxfield, argued for McLemore’s acquittal.
“The only reasonable verdict in a case where two people get drunk and have sex and the man is drunker than the woman, the only reasonable verdict in a case like that is not guilty,” she said.
The woman said she did not hire an attorney to sue McLemore and didn’t seek money from him. Instead she pursued the criminal case because “you can’t do that to somebody, let alone somebody that you don’t know.”
McLemore, who played college at Kansas, was the seventh pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He also played for Memphis, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers before his last NBA season with Portland in 2021-22.
Since then, he has played in Europe and China. Last August he signed with a team in Turkey.
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Comments