A judge sentenced former NBA guard Ben McLemore to more than eight years in Oregon state prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman at a house party in 2021.
A Clackamas County Circuit Court jury last week convicted the 32-year-old on one count each of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse. He was acquitted of a second count of second-degree sexual abuse. McLemore, who last played in the NBA in 2022, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The assault occurred on Oct. 3, 2021, at the Lake Oswego home of then-Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington, a former teammate of McLemore. Following a police investigation, McLemore was identified as the suspect. A Clackamas County grand jury indicted him in February 2024 after hearing testimony from the victim. U.S. Marshals arrested him two months later.
During sentencing, McLemore appeared in Clackamas County Jail-issued clothing and declined to address the court. The woman, now 24, delivered a victim impact statement by video.
“This has been the longest almost four years of my life,” she said, as quoted by ESPN. “I never imagined that reporting this back in 2021 would lead to such an incredibly difficult and long journey.”
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She described ongoing emotional trauma and added, “I now understand, on a deep level, why so many victims hesitate or never report what happened to them.”
Ben McLemore sentenced nearly four years after assault report
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At trial, Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy told jurors the woman had passed out on a couch after heavy drinking and later regained partial consciousness as McLemore sexually assaulted her. Healy said McLemore initially penetrated her with his fingers before having intercourse.
Defense attorneys challenged the prosecution’s case, claiming the woman initiated sexual contact and had the capacity to consent despite being intoxicated. In a statement to ESPN, McLemore’s attorney Kristen Winemiller said she hoped the Oregon Legislature would consider second-look provisions for cases like his, stating McLemore is “a considerate and humble person who has lived an honorable, community-focused life.”
In a separate statement provided to ESPN, Healy said the outcome should encourage others to come forward.
“Hopefully the victim’s strength and courage in this case will give others the fortitude to come forward in circumstances where sexual assault has occurred,” Healy said.
McLemore was selected seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Kansas. He played for five teams across nine seasons, including the Kings, Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers, and Trail Blazers. After his final NBA season, he continued his basketball career overseas, with stops in China, Greece, and Spain.
The sentencing closes a nearly four-year legal process and marks a dramatic turn for the former lottery pick.