After nearly two weeks of testimony and a day of deliberations, a jury in Oregon has convicted former NBA player Ben McLemore of raping a woman in 2021.
The 32-year-old, who last played in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021–22 season, was found guilty on three separate counts: first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse. A jury in Clackamas County returned the verdict Thursday, with sentencing scheduled for next Wednesday.
McLemore had denied all charges, entering a not guilty plea to those three counts along with an additional count of second-degree sexual abuse.
Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth issued a statement following the verdict, saying, “We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender’s community status.”
The investigation began in October 2021 after a woman filed a sexual assault report in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
The case was presented before a Clackamas County grand jury in February 2024. The woman who accused McLemore testified during the proceedings. Due to her statement, the grand jury issued an arrest warrant and indictment for McLemore.
He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in April 2024.
McLemore, who was selected seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, also played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers before moving overseas to continue his professional basketball career.
Throughout his NBA tenure, McLemore appeared in 556 games, starting 268 of them. He averaged 9.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
