Ben McLemore

Ben Edward McLemore III[1][2] (born February 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks and was known for his athletic ability complemented by his outstanding jump shot. His size, style of play and unique set of abilities had garnered comparisons to former NBA All-Star Ray Allen.[3][4][5] He was the seventh pick in the 2013 NBA draft.[6][7]

Ben McLemore
No. 16 – Houston Rockets
PositionShooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1993-02-11) February 11, 1993
St. Louis, Missouri
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeKansas (2012–2013)
NBA draft2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Playing career2013–present
Career history
2013–2017Sacramento Kings
2017–2018Memphis Grizzlies
2018–2019Sacramento Kings
2019–presentHouston Rockets
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

McLemore played high school basketball at Wellston High School in St. Louis, Missouri for three years before his school was shut down in 2010. He then attended both Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia and Christian Life Center in Humble, Texas during his senior year of high school.

Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, McLemore was listed as the No. 9 shooting guard and the No. 34 player in the nation in 2011.[8]

College career

After committing to Kansas, McLemore was deemed ineligible to play by the NCAA because he attended multiple high schools, resulting in his transcripts being "a little fuzzy".[9] He was allowed to practice with the team and take part in team activities starting in the second semester of the school year.[10]

At the beginning of his college career, McLemore was considered to be either a late first-round or early second-round prospect. However, during his first season as a redshirt freshman, McLemore averaged 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, with 49.5% shooting from the field and 87% shooting from the foul line,[11] and was named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award.[12]

After declaring for the 2013 NBA Draft, allegations arose that NBA agent Rodney Blackstock had given thousands of dollars in impermissible benefits to McLemore's AAU coach, Darius Cobb, in exchange for Cobb steering McLemore toward certain financial advisers and NBA agents.[13] Lending credence to Cobb's allegations, McLemore had Blackstock on his guest pass list for at least three Kansas home games that season, and subsequently signed Blackstock as his NBA agent.[13] This set of facts caused the launch of an NCAA investigation to determine whether or not Kansas would have to vacate the basketball games in which McLemore played.[13]

Professional career

2013–14 season

McLemore was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2013 NBA draft.[14] On July 13, 2013, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Kings and joined them for the 2013 NBA Summer League.[15] He was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November 2013.[16]

In February 2014, McLemore was selected to participate in the 2014 Sprite Slam Dunk contest.[17] In the Kings' final game of the regular season on April 16, McLemore scored a season-high 31 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.[18] In his rookie season, he played all 82 games (55 starts), averaging 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 26.7 minutes per game.[18]

2014–15 season

In July 2014, McLemore re-joined the Kings for the 2014 NBA Summer League where he helped them win the Summer League championship while averaging 12.6 points in seven games. On October 19, 2014, the Kings exercised their third-year team option on McLemore's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2015–16 season.[19] On March 11, 2015, he scored a season-high 27 points in a win over the Charlotte Hornets.[20] He started in all 82 regular season games for the Kings in 2014–15 while averaging 12.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 32.6 minutes per game.[20]

2015–16 season

On October 3, 2015, the Kings exercised their fourth-year team option on McLemore's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2016–17 season.[21] On December 5, he had a season-best game with 19 points and 9 rebounds in a loss to the Houston Rockets.[22] On January 28, 2016, he scored a season-high 26 points in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[23] On February 1, McLemore missed his first game of his career due to a sprained right wrist, snapping his consecutive games streak at 211, which was the second-longest in the NBA behind Tristan Thompson (335).[24] He later missed 10 games in March with a finger-tip injury.[25]

2016–17 season

On February 10, 2017, McLemore had a season-high 22 points, helped by a career-best six three-pointers, in a 108–107 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[26] On March 29, 2017, he tied a season high with 22 points in a 112–82 loss to the Utah Jazz.[27]

Memphis Grizzlies (2017–2018)

On July 7, 2017, McLemore signed a multi-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.[28] On August 8, 2017, he was ruled out for approximately 12 weeks after fracturing his right foot in a pickup game.[29] On November 2, 2017, McLemore was assigned to the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League.[30] He was recalled a week later,[31] and made his debut for the Grizzlies on November 11, 2017, recording four points and two rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench in a 111–96 loss to the Houston Rockets.[32] On December 9, 2017, he scored a season-high 17 points in a 102–101 overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.[33] On January 19, 2018, he set a new season high with 21 points in a 106–88 win over the Sacramento Kings.[34]

Return to Sacramento (2018–2019)

On July 17, 2018, McLemore was traded, along with Deyonta Davis, a 2021 second-round pick and cash considerations, to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Garrett Temple.[35] On February 7, 2019, McLemore was waived by the Kings.[36]

Houston Rockets (2019–present)

On July 23, 2019, McLemore signed with the Houston Rockets.[37]

On December 5, 2019, McLemore led the Rockets in scoring with a season-high 28 points, on top of career-best 8-of-17 shooting from behind the three-point arc in a 119–109 win against the Toronto Raptors.[38][39] On December 7, 2019, McLemore finished with 27 points on 10-of-15 field goal shooting (5-of-9 from beyond the arc) in a 115–109 win against the Phoenix Suns, which is the first time he has contributed more than 25 points in consecutive games in his career. [40][41]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013–14 Sacramento 825526.7.376.320.8042.91.0.5.28.8
2014–15 Sacramento 828232.6.437.358.8132.91.7.9.212.1
2015–16 Sacramento 685321.2.429.362.7182.21.2.8.17.8
2016–17 Sacramento 612619.3.430.382.7532.1.8.5.18.1
2017–18 Memphis 561719.5.421.346.8282.5.9.7.37.5
2018–19 Sacramento 1908.3.391.415.667.9.2.3.13.9
2019–20 Houston 712322.8.444.400.7462.2.8.6.210.1
Career 43925623.6.421.360.7792.61.1.7.29.0

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020 Houston 11011.8.375.389.0001.0.5.4.04.0
Career 11011.8.375.389.0001.0.5.4.04.0

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012–13 Kansas 373632.2.495.420.8705.22.01.0.715.9

Personal life

On July 4, 2015, Wellston Avenue, the street on which McLemore grew up, was renamed Ben McLemore III Place in his honor.[42]

In March 2017, McLemore's first child, Teagan, was born.[43]

References
  1. "Ben McLemore - 2012-13 Men's Basketball Roster". kuathletics.com.
  2. Keegan, Tom. Rising above: Ben McLemore elevates above adversity, Lawrence Journal-World, December 5, 2012.
  3. "NBA Draft Breakdown and Projections for Kansas Star Ben McLemore". Bleacher Report. January 19, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  4. "Could Kansas' Ben McLemore Go #1?". NBADraft.net. December 26, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  5. "Ben McLemore". NBADraft.net. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  6. NBA Draft Prospect of the Week: Ben McLemore. Draft Express (December 24, 2012). Retrieved on January 11, 2013.
  7. 23 – Ben McLemore. NBA Draft.net. Retrieved on January 11, 2013.
  8. "Ben McLemore Recruiting Profile". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  9. Keeley, Sean (October 14, 2011). "Kansas Declares Freshmen Ben McLemore, Jamari Traylor Ineligible". SBNation.com. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  10. Bedore, Gary. "KU freshmen Ben McLemore, Jamari Traylor ineligible for 2011-12 season / LJWorld.com". .ljworld.com. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  11. 23 Ben McLemore, G Kansas Jayhawks. "Ben McLemore, Kansas, NCAA Basketball". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  12. "Withey, McLemore Named to Wooden Finalist List". ThroughThePhog.com. March 9, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  13. Auerbach, Nicole (June 28, 2013). "Why Ben McLemore chose Rodney Blackstock as his agent". USA Today.
  14. "KINGS SELECT BEN MCLEMORE IN FIRST ROUND". NBA.com. June 27, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  15. "Kings Sign 2013 First-Round Pick Ben McLemore". NBA.com. July 13, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  16. "Kings Ben McLemore named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November". NBA.com. December 3, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  17. "Ben McLemore Selected to 2014 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest". NBA.com. February 6, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  18. "Ben McLemore 2013-14 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  19. "Kings Pick Up Option on Guard Ben McLemore". NBA.com. October 19, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  20. "Ben McLemore 2014-15 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  21. "Kings Pick Up Option on Ben McLemore". NBA.com. October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  22. Ben McLemore 2015-16 Game Log
  23. Kings Unable To Complete Comeback
  24. Gay scores 32 to lead Kings over Bucks, 111-104
  25. Cauley-Stein scores 21 points, Kings beat Mavs 133-111
  26. "Kings rally from 22 down to beat Hawks 108-107". ESPN.com. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  27. "Hayward helps Jazz knock off Kings 112-82". ESPN.com. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  28. "Grizzlies sign Ben McLemore to multi-year contract". NBA.com. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  29. "Memphis Grizzlies' Ben McLemore out 12 weeks with fractured bone in foot". NBA.com. August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  30. "Grizzlies assign Ben McLemore to Memphis Hustle". NBA.com. November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  31. "Grizzlies recall Ben McLemore and Ivan Rabb from Memphis Hustle". NBA.com. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  32. "Harden lifts Rockets to 111-96 win over Grizzlies". ESPN.com. November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  33. "Westbrook's triple-double leads Thunder past Grizzlies in OT". ESPN.com. December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  34. "Brooks, McLemore lead Grizzlies past Kings 106-88". ESPN.com. January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  35. "Kings Acquire Ben McLemore, Deyonta Davis, 2021 Second-Round Draft Selection, and Cash Considerations". NBA.com. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  36. "Kings Acquire Caleb Swanigan". NBA.com. February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  37. "Rockets Sign Free Agent Ben McLemore". NBA.com. July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  38. "With Harden doubled, McLemore has career night in win at Toronto". Rockets Wire. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  39. "Rockets vs. Raptors - Game Summary - December 5, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  40. "Suns vs. Rockets - Box Score - December 7, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  41. December 7, Jonathan Feigen | on; 2019 (December 8, 2019). "Russell Westbrook, Ben McLemore drive Rockets past Suns". www.houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  42. Choat, Brad (July 4, 2015). "NBA Player Comes Home to Wellston". cbslocal.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  43. Ham, James (March 22, 2017). "Ben McLemore returns after birth of his daughter: 'Dream come true'". nbcsports.com. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
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