Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been arrested and arraigned in Oregon on a sexual assault charge dating from 2021 when he was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
McLemore — who has been out of the NBA since 2022 and playing overseas — was arrested by U.S. Marshals when he landed at the Portland Airport on an outstanding warrant for first-degree rape, a charge of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and two charges of second-degree sexual abuse, according to the Lake Oswego, Ore., Police Department. He was eventually moved to the Clackamas County Jail and, on Wednesday, was arraigned at the Clackamas County Circuit Court. He was then released on $500,000 bail.
McLemore and his agent released this statement.
Statement from former NBA No. 7 overall pick Ben McLemore, who is facing rape and sex crime charges in Portland: pic.twitter.com/3vHx7PreKs
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 12, 2024
A Clackamas County grand jury indicted McLemore, reports Baxter Holmes at ESPN, who was first with the story. That grand jury heard testimony from the woman who stepped forward and said McLemore assaulted her. The alleged assault took place on Oct. 3, 2021, and there was a police investigation (something delayed at points by the fact McLemore was not in the country).
A star at Kansas in college, McLemore was the No. 7 pick of the Sacramento Kings back in 2013 and played eight NBA seasons, the first four in Sacramento. He also played for the Grizzlies, Rockets and Lakers during his NBA career. He has been playing for Río Breogán in the Spanish ABC league this season. McLemore had a drunk driving incident in Lugo, Spain, in March.
