Was Ben McLemore convicted in 2021 rape case? Ex-Lakers guard’s legal issues explored

Ben McLemore’s NBA career came to an abrupt end in 2021 after he was accused of raping a 21-year-old in a party. The former Los Angeles Lakers player had pleaded not guilty to the accusations in court, which led to a trial.

After four years, the trial concluded with the Clackamas County jury finding the former Lakers player guilty of first-degree rape and sexual abuse. The jury reached a verdict on Thursday after deliberating for 10 hours.

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The charges were filed initially against Ben McLemore after he attended his then-Blazers teammate Robert Covington's party at his Lake Oswego home. The plaintiff has accused McLemore of assaulting her while she was passed out on the couch after heavy intoxication.

Although the former Laker player testified that the incident was consensual, the jury convicted him on three of four counts. The two-week-long trial saw McLemore and his accuser testifying. The former Lakers player claimed that his accuser was the first one to make contact with him while he slept.

However, his testimony did not help him sway the jury. During her emotional testimony, the accuser revealed that she woke up during the assault and was too drunk to move.

"My body felt locked," she said while testifying. "I thought if I played dead, it might stop."

Photos from the party featuring the accuser vomiting and being unconscious backed her story. Ben McLemore's lawyer claimed that Robert Covington saw the accuser initiate contact with her client; however, the former Blazers player never testified.

The jury has convicted McLemore of rape and unlawful penetration charges but has acquitted him on one sexual abuse count. He now faces at least eight years in prison this summer.

Looking at Ben McLemore's short-lived NBA career

Ben McLemore started his NBA career as a promising shooting guard in the 2013 draft. The Kings drafted him seventh and signed him to a rookie contract. He struggled early on but found his rhythm in his final rookie year.

He signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies on July 7, 2017. A right foot fracture kept him out most of his first year. He was sent to the Memphis Hustle, the G League affiliate, then recalled to the main roster and debuted for the Bears on Nov. 11, 2017.

He became a good off-the-bench role player for the Grizzlies but was traded to the Kings again in 2018. The Kings waived him at the end of the 2019 season and he signed with the Rockets. After staying with the Rockets for almost two seasons, Ben McLemore was waived again.

He signed with the Lakers, made his debut against the Heat on April 8, but was waived shortly after. The Blazers signed him on Aug 5, 2021, but he faced charges in October. They released him in 2022 and he moved overseas to play basketball.

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Avi Shravan

Avi Shravan's first year of college was the year he discovered his passion for basketball and the NBA. He has been an ardent fan of the sport ever since, from waking up early to cover games to watching pundit discussions, he does it all.

Avi is a big fan of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and firmly believes that the young star is the next big thing in the NBA.

Avi graduated in Mass Communication and Journalism, further enhancing his skills as a journalist and a writer. In his spare time when he is not writing, you can find him playing video games, watching anime, or reading a book he randomly picked at a bookstore.

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