Former Trail Blazers guard Ben McLemore receives prison sentence following rape conviction

Former Portland Trail Blazers guard Ben McLemore has been sentenced to 100 months — just over eight years — in Oregon state prison after being found guilty of raping a 21-year old woman at a house party back in 2021.

McLemore, who last played for the Trail Blazers in 2022, was sentenced in Clackamas County Circuit Court jury in Oregon. He had previously received one charge of first-degree rape, one charge of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse. The jury didn’t find McLemore guilty on an additional count of second-degree sexual abuse. McLemore pled not guilty to all four counts but didn’t address the court during Wednesday’s sentencing.

The charges resulted from a report from sexual assault that took place in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on Oct. 3, 2021 at home of former Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington. Shortly after the incident was reported to police, an investigation began and led to McLemore being mentioned as a suspect.

“Many people are often afraid to report this type of conduct for a number of reasons,” Clackamas County First Assistant District Attorney Scott Healy said in a statement. “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. 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.”

A Clackamas County grand jury was presented with evidence from the case in February 2024, which included testimony from the 21-year-old woman that stated that McLemore sexually assaulted her. An indictment and an arrest warrant were issued for McLemore. The former Trail Blazers guard was arrested by United States Marshals just two months later.

Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy informed the jury that the victim was drinking heavily at the party. He stated that the victim passed out in the living room around 2 a.m. before regaining consciousness the next morning when McLemore began to have sex with her.

McLemore’s attorneys alleged that the victim initiated the sexual encounter and gave consent. They also added that the victim was sober enough to provide consent despite McLemore and herself being intoxicated.

McLemore was originally selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings after one season at Kansas. He also played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Trail Blazers in the NBA, while also playing professionally in China, Greece, and Spain. He spent the 2024-25 season in the Basketball Super League in Turkey.