Ben McLemore, Former NBA Player, Sentenced To Prison For Rape

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 25: Ben McLemore # 23 of the Portland Trail Blazers walks back to the court after a timeout during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Moda Center on March 25, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
(Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Ben McLemore has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison after he was convicted of raping a woman in 2021. 

The former Portland Trailblazers guard was hit with this sentence on Wednesday, a week after he was found guilty of sexual assault and rape in Clackamas County Courtroom. The alleged incident took place in October 2021 at the home of Robert Covington, another former Trailblazer’s player. McLemore was accused of raping a 21-year-old woman at a party. 

The former player was arrested in April 2024 for first-degree rape but has always maintained his innocence, claiming he did not rape the woman. “I am not sexually abusive,” he said. “I have never pursued a sexual relationship when I understood the woman was not interested in me and acting willingly.” 

The jury found McLemore guilty of all charges. He is currently in jail serving out his sentence.