Former Kansas Jayhawk and NBA player Ben McLemore has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a 21-year-old woman in 2021.
Last week, McLemore was found guilty of one count of first-degree rape, one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse, and found not guilty of a second count of second-degree sexual abuse.
On Wednesday, Clackamas County (Oregon) Judge Michael C. Wetzel handed McLemore his eight-year sentence.
“We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution,” said County District Attorney John Wentworth. “Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender’s community status.”
The trial revealed details of the assault, which claimed that McLemore partially penetrated an unconscious woman while at a party hosted by then-Portland Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington at Lake Oswego, Oregon.
“I strive to live with kindness, to be gentle and show up for my people,” McLemore said in a statement via ESPN. “I care deeply about those around me. And, even in this dark moment, I believe in the power of grace and redemption. I believe in second chances, and will work every day to earn mine.”
McLemore played for five teams over his nine-year NBA career, averaging nine points and two rebounds per game.
