What are the charges against Ben McLemore? Former NBA player found guilty of rape

Former NBA player, Ben McLemore has been found guilty of rape following an 11-day trial.

A jury in Clackamas County has found ex-Portland Trail Blazers player Ben McLemore, guilty of first-degree rape and sexual abuse after an 11-day-long trial. The verdict was delivered on July 3, 2025, after nearly 10 hours of jury deliberation. The jury, comprising eight men and four women, convicted the former NBA player on three out of four charges related to an incident that took place in 2021.

The charges stemmed from an incident at a party in October 2021 hosted at the Lake Oswego home of McLemore's then-teammate, Robert Covington. According to the prosecutors, McLemore raped a heavily intoxicated 21-year-old college student after she passed out on a couch. He testified the encounter was consensual; however, the jury convicted him on three of four counts, which were first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and dismissed the claim he made that the victim initiated contact while he slept.

Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy made his final remarks to the jury:

“There’s absolutely no confusion in this case. When you look at all the surrounding circumstances and you assess the evidence in this case, I submit to you that the defendant is guilty"

Testimonies against Ben McLemore

The testimonies against the player included those from the victim herself as well as two former Trail Blazers players; however, Robert Covington, whose home hosted the party, did not testify. In a deeply emotional testimony, the victim recalled waking up to the player assaulting her while she was too drunk to move or speak.

She told the jurors:

"My body felt locked. I thought if I played dead, it might stop."

The evidence presented in court included photos showing the woman vomiting and being unconscious earlier that evening. These were the images used to support the prosecution's claim that she was incapacitated and unable to consent.

According to Portland media outlet KGW:

"The jury found former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore guilty Thursday morning of rape and sexual abuse of a 21-year-old woman at a Lake Oswego house party in October 2021. McLemore, 32, previously pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and two counts of second-degree sexual abuse. The jury found him guilty on all counts, except one of the counts of sexual abuse"

Trending

Ben McLemore is now facing a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years and four months in prison and was immediately taken into custody after the verdict. The 32-year-old's sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on July 9, which is next Wednesday, where a final impact statement from the victim will be made.

This conviction comes nearly 4 years after the incident took place.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback