A jury in Oregon found former NBA player Ben McLemore guilty on Thursday of raping a woman in 2021 while he was with the Portland Trail Blazers.
After about 10 hours of discussions following an 11-day trial, the jury in Clackamas County convicted the 32-year-old McLemore, who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022. He was found guilty of one charge of first-degree rape, one charge of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse.
However, the jury declared him not guilty on another charge of second-degree sexual abuse. McLemore had pleaded not guilty to all four charges.
His sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 9 at 9:30 a.m. PT.
Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth stated, “We understand that some people worry that famous individuals or those in power can escape justice. But that’s not the case in Clackamas County. This situation shows that my office will pursue criminal cases no matter how well-known the offender is.”
The charges originated from a report of sexual assault in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on October 3, 2021. Police launched an investigation and identified McLemore as a suspect.
In February 2024, a grand jury in Clackamas County reviewed evidence in the case, including testimony from the woman who claimed McLemore assaulted her. They then issued an indictment against him along with an arrest warrant, according to Lake Oswego police.
U.S. Marshals apprehended McLemore two months later.
A spokesperson for McLemore has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy informed jurors that the victim had been drinking a lot, fell asleep on a couch around 2 a.m., and later woke up partially the next morning when McLemore sexually assaulted her with his fingers and then began having sex with her.
McLemore’s lawyers challenged the victim’s story, arguing that she started the sexual contact and agreed to it. They also claimed that she was sober enough to give consent even though both she and McLemore had been drinking.
McLemore was chosen as the seventh pick in the 2013 draft from Kansas and played for five different teams over nine seasons in the NBA. After his time with the Trail Blazers, he went on to play for professional teams in China, Greece, and Spain.
