Ben McLemore facts for kids
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McLemore in 2024
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| No. 23 – Yukatel Merkezefendi Basket | |
|---|---|
| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 11, 1993 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas (2012–2013) |
| NBA Draft | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall |
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
| Pro career | 2013–present |
| League | Basketbol Süper Ligi |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2017 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2017–2018 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2017 | →Memphis Hustle |
| 2018–2019 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2019–2021 | Houston Rockets |
| 2021 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2021–2022 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2023 | Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin |
| 2023 | AEK Athens |
| 2023–2024 | Río Breogán |
| 2024–present | Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Ben Edward McLemore III (born February 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli in Turkey. Ben is known for being a shooting guard.
He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. After college, he was picked seventh overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. Ben played for the Kings for four seasons. Later, he joined teams like the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers. He has also played basketball in China, Greece, and Spain.
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Ben McLemore's Early Life and High School Basketball
Ben McLemore grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He started playing high school basketball at Wellston High School. After three years, his school closed down in 2010.
He then went to two different schools for his senior year. These were Oak Hill Academy in Virginia and Christian Life Center in Texas.
College Basketball Career
After high school, Ben McLemore decided to play for the Kansas Jayhawks. He had some issues with his school records. Because of this, he could not play in games right away. However, he was allowed to practice with the team. He also took part in other team activities.
In his first season playing, Ben did very well. He scored about 16 points per game. He also got over 5 rebounds and 2 assists per game. He shot the ball well, making almost 50% of his shots. He was even named a finalist for a big award called the John R. Wooden Award.
Ben McLemore's Professional Basketball Journey
Playing for the Sacramento Kings (2013–2017)
The Sacramento Kings chose Ben McLemore as the seventh pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He signed his first contract with the Kings in July 2013. He also played with them in the 2013 NBA Summer League.
In November 2013, he was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month. In April 2014, he scored a season-high 31 points. This was in a game against the Phoenix Suns. In his first year, he played in all 82 games.
In July 2014, Ben helped the Kings win the 2014 NBA Summer League championship. He scored 12.6 points per game during the tournament. In March 2015, he scored 27 points in a win. This was against the Charlotte Hornets. He started all 82 games for the Kings in the 2014–15 season. He averaged 12.1 points per game that year.
In December 2015, he had a great game. He scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. In January 2016, he scored a season-high 26 points. This was in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. He missed his first career game in February 2016 due to a wrist injury.
In February 2017, Ben scored a season-high 22 points. He also made a career-best six three-pointers. This helped the Kings win against the Atlanta Hawks. He tied his season high with 22 points again in March 2017.
Time with the Memphis Grizzlies (2017–2018)
Ben McLemore signed a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies in July 2017. He broke his right foot in August 2017. This meant he could not play for about 12 weeks.
He was sent to the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League in November 2017. A week later, he joined the Grizzlies. He scored 17 points in a game in December 2017. This was against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In January 2018, he set a new season high with 21 points. This helped the Grizzlies win against his old team, the Sacramento Kings.
Back to Sacramento (2018–2019)
In July 2018, Ben McLemore was traded back to the Sacramento Kings. He played with them for a short time. In February 2019, the Kings decided to let him go.
Playing for the Houston Rockets (2019–2021)
Ben McLemore signed with the Houston Rockets in July 2019. He had some great games with the Rockets.
In December 2019, he scored a season-high 28 points. He also made 8 three-pointers in a game. This helped the Rockets win against the Toronto Raptors. Two days later, he scored 27 points. This was against the Phoenix Suns. It was the first time in his career he scored over 25 points in two games in a row.
The Rockets let Ben go in April 2021.
Short Time with the Los Angeles Lakers (2021)
Ben McLemore signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in April 2021. He played his first game for them on April 8. He scored 6 points in a game against the Miami Heat.
Joining the Portland Trail Blazers (2021–2022)
In August 2021, Ben McLemore signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. He played his first game for them in October. He scored six points in a big win against the Phoenix Suns.
Playing Overseas (2023–Present)
In January 2023, Ben McLemore signed with the Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin in China. This was his first time playing basketball outside of the United States.
In August 2023, he moved to Greece. He signed with AEK Athens. This was his first European club. He later left the team in December 2023.
In December 2023, he signed with Río Breogán in Spain. He played for them for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
In August 2024, he signed with Yukatel Merkezefendi in Turkey. He continues to play there.
Player Profile
Before he was drafted into the NBA, people compared Ben McLemore to NBA All-Star Ray Allen. They said he had a similar size, playing style, and skills.
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 |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Sacramento | 82 | 55 | 26.7 | .376 | .320 | .804 | 2.9 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | 8.8 |
| 2014–15 | Sacramento | 82 | 82* | 32.6 | .437 | .358 | .813 | 2.9 | 1.7 | .9 | .2 | 12.1 |
| 2015–16 | Sacramento | 68 | 53 | 21.2 | .429 | .362 | .718 | 2.2 | 1.2 | .8 | .1 | 7.8 |
| 2016–17 | Sacramento | 61 | 26 | 19.3 | .430 | .382 | .753 | 2.1 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 8.1 |
| 2017–18 | Memphis | 56 | 17 | 19.5 | .421 | .346 | .828 | 2.5 | .9 | .7 | .3 | 7.5 |
| 2018–19 | Sacramento | 19 | 0 | 8.3 | .391 | .415 | .667 | .9 | .2 | .3 | .1 | 3.9 |
| 2019–20 | Houston | 71 | 23 | 22.8 | .444 | .400 | .746 | 2.2 | .8 | .6 | .2 | 10.1 |
| 2020–21 | Houston | 32 | 4 | 16.8 | .357 | .331 | .719 | 2.1 | .9 | .6 | .1 | 7.4 |
| L.A. Lakers | 21 | 1 | 17.5 | .390 | .368 | .762 | 1.6 | .5 | .1 | .3 | 8.0 | |
| 2021–22 | Portland | 64 | 6 | 20.1 | .401 | .362 | .818 | 1.6 | .9 | .6 | .2 | 10.2 |
| Career | 556 | 267 | 22.5 | .414 | .363 | .780 | 2.3 | 1.0 | .6 | .2 | 9.0 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Houston | 11 | 0 | 11.8 | .375 | .389 | — | 1.0 | .5 | .4 | .0 | 4.0 |
| 2021 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | 0 | 9.0 | .222 | .333 | — | 1.8 | .3 | .3 | .0 | 1.5 |
| Career | 15 | 0 | 11.1 | .347 | .381 | — | 1.2 | .5 | .3 | .0 | 3.3 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Kansas | 37 | 36 | 32.2 | .495 | .420 | .870 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .7 | 15.9 |
Personal Life
On July 4, 2015, a street where Ben McLemore grew up was renamed in his honor. It is now called Ben McLemore III Place.
In March 2017, Ben's first child was born. Her name is Teagan.
