OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — A jury in Oregon has found former NBA player Ben McLemore guilty of raping a 21-year-old incapacitated woman during a lake house party attended by many of his then-teammates from the Portland Trail Blazers. The jury found 32-year-old McLemore guilty of rape, unlawful sexual penetration and one count of sexual abuse. He was found not guilty on another count of sexual abuse. Sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday. The charges stemmed from a party on Oct. 3, 2021, at a home owned by Robert Covington, McLemore’s then-teammate. Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the sexual encounter was rape, while McLemore’s attorney countered it was consensual sex.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA’s House settlement era has launched, with athletic programs across the country free to start paying millions to their athletes in the biggest change in the history of college athletics. It’s the death of the NCAA’s longstanding amateur model, certain to cause headaches and disputes among powerhouse and small-time programs alike. Scattered among them, however, is a handful of schools that have decided to wait it out at least a year and see how things develop, including legal risks and Title IX concerns. Call them the opt-outs. The deadline for schools to opt out was Monday.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is considering a proposal to allow athletes and staff to bet on professional sports while maintaining strict bans on college sports betting. The Division I Council introduced the idea, which requires approval from Divisions II and III. The NCAA says this shift reflects the rise of legalized gambling and aims to focus enforcement on college sports integrity. Current rules already ban betting on NCAA sports, with severe penalties for violations. Officials argue this approach could better address gambling issues among athletes.
UNDATED (AP) — The professionalization of college sports has prompted concern among team physicians that they will be exposed to a greater risk of medical liability lawsuits by injured athletes who claim a poor outcome caused them to lose future earnings. Schools set to share millions this year in direct payments to athletes. Some already make well into the millions. Though no malpractice lawsuits seeking lost future earnings at the college level are known to have been filed, Big Ten chief medical officer Dr. James Borchers says it’s only a matter of time.
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