PORTLAND, Ore. -- An Oregon judge on Wednesday sentenced former NBA guard Ben McLemore to more than eight years in prison after he was found guilty of raping a woman at a party in 2021.
McLemore, 32, last week was found guilty in Clackamas County Circuit Court of rape in the first degree, unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree, and sexual abuse in the second degree. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 100 months in prison by Clackamas County Presiding Judge Michael C. Wetzel, according to a news release.
“This has been the longest almost four years of my life,” the unnamed victim said while addressing the court via video. “I never imagined that reporting this back in 2021 would lead to such an incredibly difficult and long journey. These last few years have often felt like a weight that I’ve had to drag behind me, a constant reminder of the trauma that I haven’t been able to fully work through because there was no ending in sight.
“At the time of the assault, I had no idea who Mr. McLemore was. When I found out … I questioned whether I should really move forward and report what had happened, especially given his status. I came forward to hold him accountable for the harm he caused, to ensure that what happened to me never happens to anyone else.
“No one is above the law, no matter who they are or what position they hold,” the victim added.
The charges against McLemore stem from an incident involving a 21-year-old woman at a party hosted at the Lake Oswego, Oregon, home McLemore’s former Portland Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington.
The incident occurred on Oct. 3, 2021, when the unnamed victim was “hammered unconscious drunk” after a night of heavy drinking, prosecutor Scott Healy told jurors. The victim passed out on a living room couch around 2 a.m. after vomiting earlier in the night. McLemore also began sleeping on the same couch some time later.
Around 6 a.m., the victim regained partial consciousness when McLemore penetrated her with his fingers and began having sexual intercourse with her while the victim was “fading in and out” of consciousness, according to the release. She sought a specialized medical examination for victims of sexual assault later that same day.
Defense attorneys for McLemore, however, dispute the victims claims of rape and sexual assault, claiming she initiated the sexual contact and consented to it. McLemore’s attorneys said that both he and the victim were intoxicated at the time, but that the victim was sober enough to consent.
“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,” First Assistant District Attorney Scott Healy said in the release. “The sentence the defendant received today should serve as a reminder that this type of conduct will not be tolerated in our community, and that the Clackamas County DA’s Office will always work hard to hold offenders accountable and provide justice to victims.”
McLemore played nine seasons in the NBA from 2013-22 for the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Trail Blazers. The former University of Kansas star was drafted by Sacramento in the first round, seventh overall, of the 2013 NBA Draft.
For his nine-year NBA career, McLemore averaged 9 points on 41.4% shooting, 2.3 rebounds and 1 assist per game in 22.5 minutes across 556 games, including 268 starts.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.