Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman during a 2021 lake house party attended by several Portland Trail Blazers teammates, a jury in Clackamas County, Oregon, ruled on Thursday.
McLemore, 32, was convicted of rape, unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of sexual abuse. He was acquitted of a second sexual abuse charge. His sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.
The incident occurred on October 3, 2021, at a Lake Oswego home owned by teammate Robert Covington. Prosecutors said the victim was incapacitated from alcohol and unable to consent. Photos shown in court depicted her slumped over a toilet and later unconscious on a couch.
She testified that she woke up during the assault, terrified and unable to respond. “I don’t know who this person is,” she said. “This is a random person doing something like this to me.” She said when she slid to the floor in an attempt to escape, McLemore pulled her back onto the couch and continued the assault.
McLemore admitted to having sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual, saying both had been drinking. He stated there was no communication before, during, or after, and that he left quickly after receiving an angry message from his wife, who had tracked his location.
Prosecutor Scott Healy told the jury, “When you assess the evidence in this case, the defendant is guilty.” McLemore’s lawyer argued for acquittal, claiming the encounter was between two drunk individuals and that McLemore himself was more intoxicated.
The woman stated she never pursued civil action or compensation, saying she brought the case forward because “you can’t do that to somebody, let alone someone you don’t even know.”
District Attorney John Wentworth said the case showed that criminal acts are prosecuted regardless of a defendant’s public status.
McLemore, the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, played for several teams including the Kings, Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers, and Trail Blazers. He later continued his career overseas and most recently signed with a team in Turkey.
