A judge sentenced former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore on Wednesday for raping a woman at a Lake Oswego house party in 2021.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore was sentenced to more than eight years in prison on Wednesday, a week after a jury found 32-year-old guilty of raping and sexually abusing a 21-year-old woman at a house party in Lake Oswego in October 2021. It happened at the home of Robert Covington, who was McLemore’s teammate at the time.
On Wednesday, McLemore wore a standard black and white striped jail uniform in court where the judge sentenced the former NBA player to 100 months in prison.
RELATED: Jury finds former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore guilty of raping woman at Lake Oswego house party
McLemore had 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 on of the counts of sexual abuse.
The defense had argued that the sexual encounter was consensual, but prosecutors had described it as rape.
The woman testified during the two-and-a-half week trial that she was incapacitated due to heavy drinking and was unable to consent. McLemore admitted that he had also been drinking, but testified that the encounter was consensual.
RELATED: Former Trail Blazer Ben McLemore says sex was consensual while taking the stand during rape trial
McLemore played one season with the Trail Blazers in 2021-2022 and has since played professionally overseas in Europe, China and Turkey.
Resources
If you or someone you know have experienced sexual assault and need support, help is available.
You can contact the Sexual Assault Resource Center, (503) 626-9100. They are located at 4900 SW Griffith Drive, Suite 135, Beaverton, OR 97005.
The Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or rainn.org. It is available 24/7.
KGW reporter Kyle Iboshi contributed to this report.