Ben McLemore, a former NBA guard recognized as the seventh overall selection in the 2013 draft and previously a player for the Portland Trail Blazers, has been convicted by a jury of rape and sexual abuse. The verdict in Clackamas County, Oregon, relates to an incident that occurred during a house party in 2021. McLemore, aged 32, was found guilty on multiple counts, although he was acquitted of one charge of second-degree sexual abuse. He had entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
The incident took place on October 3, 2021, at a private gathering held at the Lake Oswego residence of Robert Covington, who was a teammate on the Trail Blazers at the time. McLemore was part of the Portland roster as the team was preparing for the upcoming NBA season. According to police, he was later apprehended at Portland International Airport in April 2024 based on outstanding warrants connected to the case.
The trial lasted for nearly two weeks. The woman who brought the charges testified that she was incapacitated due to significant alcohol consumption and therefore unable to give consent. McLemore stated that he had also consumed alcohol but maintained that the encounter was consensual.
Following the conclusion of the 2021–22 season with the Trail Blazers, McLemore continued his professional basketball career internationally, playing in China, Greece, and Spain. Law enforcement officials indicated that his departure from the country contributed to delays in the progress of the case, but investigators continued their efforts to gather evidence. In February 2024, a grand jury in Clackamas County issued an indictment after reviewing the evidence compiled and hearing testimony from the woman involved.
McLemore`s NBA career spanned nine seasons after being drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2013. He played four seasons with the Kings before stints with teams including the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Lakers. His final season in the league was the 2021–22 one, which he played for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jasper Hawthorne