Former NBA guard Ben McLemore has been sentenced to 100 months in state prison following his conviction on multiple sexual assault charges stemming from a 2021 incident in Oregon.
The 32-year-old was found guilty by a Clackamas County jury last week of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse. He was acquitted of one additional charge of second-degree sexual abuse.
The charges relate to a house party held in Lake Oswego on October 3, 2021, reportedly hosted by then-Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington. According to court documents and testimony, the victim, a 21-year-old woman, attended the party and became severely intoxicated. She testified that she passed out in a bedroom around 2 a.m. and awoke several hours later to McLemore sexually assaulting her. Prosecutors argued that the woman was incapable of giving consent due to her level of intoxication and unconscious state.
McLemore’s defense insisted the encounter was consensual, claiming the woman initiated the interaction and that both parties had been drinking. However, the jury sided with the prosecution, delivering a guilty verdict after roughly 10 hours of deliberation following a two-week trial.
During Wednesday’s sentencing, the victim addressed the court via video, describing the long and painful impact the assault has had on her life.
“This has been the longest almost four years of my life,” she said. “It has been a constant reminder of the trauma that was inflicted on me, with no ending in sight.”
Judge Michael Wetzel handed down the 100-month sentence in line with Oregon’s mandatory minimum guidelines for Measure 11 crimes. Prosecutors emphasized that McLemore’s status as a professional athlete should not shield him from accountability.
“This case reinforces that no one is above the law,” said Clackamas County First Assistant District Attorney Scott Healy.
McLemore’s attorney, Kristen Winemiller, signaled plans to appeal and also urged lawmakers to consider legislative changes that would allow for sentence reductions in cases where defendants show rehabilitation over time.
A former standout at the University of Kansas, McLemore was selected seventh overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2013 NBA Draft. He played nine seasons in the league with the Kings, Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers, and Trail Blazers, averaging 9.0 points per game over 556 appearances. After his final NBA season in 2021–22, he continued his career overseas, including stops in China, Europe, and Turkey.
The conviction and sentence effectively bring McLemore’s professional basketball career to an end and mark one of the most serious criminal cases involving a former NBA player in recent years.
