PORTLAND, Ore. — Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison following his conviction for raping a woman at a 2021 party hosted by a former teammate.
On Wednesday, Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Michael Wetzel handed down a 100-month prison sentence, as reported by Portland’s KGW. The 32-year-old ex-Portland Trail Blazer was found guilty last week of rape, unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of sexual abuse. He was acquitted on a separate sexual abuse charge.
The incident involved a 21-year-old woman and occurred at a gathering held at the Lake Oswego home of McLemore’s then-teammate, Robert Covington.
Prosecutors from Clackamas County characterized the encounter as rape, arguing the woman was too intoxicated to give consent. The woman testified that she had consumed so much alcohol she was incapacitated. McLemore, who admitted he had also been drinking, maintained that the encounter was consensual.
Following his NBA career, McLemore continued playing basketball overseas in countries including China, Turkey, and across Europe.
Leave a Reply