Ben Mclemore: What happened to his promising NBA career?

It was the start of the 2013-2014 NBA season. I still remember getting back from school, opening my newly acquired, PS4 and hopping on NBA 2K14 association mode. I always choose the Sacramento Kings for one and only reason - Ben Mclemore. Mclemore was my favourite rookie when he entered the NBA.

I used to watch him from his NCAA days. This guy had it all. Outstanding shooter with a smooth and silky shot, crazy athletism, a scoring threat with finesse. Mclemore was the real deal. When he was drafted with the 7th overall, in the 2013 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings, everyone was preparing for the next big thing at the shooting guard position.

The world of basketball was there for him to take....fast forward to now, Ben Mclemore's name is forgotten by many. What actually happened to one of the most hyped and talented players of the 2013 NBA draft? Why his NBA career failed?

Let's find out!

Early Years and NBA draft

Ben Mclemore throwing a dunk with Kansas Jayhawks

Ben Mclemore was born on February 11th of the year 1993. His high school career was a roller coaster since he switched schools 3 times - St. Louis Missouri, Oak Hill academy Virginia and Christian life center in Texas.

Even though Mclemore had a traveled high School career, he was considered one of the best young players at that time. A 4th star recruit, in addition with being the No. 9th rank at his position and No. 34 in the country, Mclemore was preparing himself for a great (and short) college career.

After his high school career came to end, Mclemore commited to the univeristy of Kansas and the Kansas Jayhawks, one of the top NCAA programmas in USA. Even though he was ineligible to play at his freshman year, his redshirt freshman season was all about him.

With stats of 15.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.0 apg combined with an excellent 49.5% from the field, 46% from the 3PT line and 87% from the foul line, he showed why he was considered one of the best players of his class.

 

Kansas Jayhawks team performance overall was pretty good with Mclemore on the roster. The team finished the season with a 25-10 record. They advanced to the Big 12 tournament where they won the championship against Kansas State. That was the last game of Mclemore's college careeer.

Mclemore declared for the 2013 NBA draft and was selected 7th overall by the Sacramento Kings. 

Sacramento Kings

Ben Mclemore with the Sacramento Kings, against Utah Jazz

Ben Mclemore was drafted to a Kings team that hadn't seen the playoffs since 2006 and was in a rebuilding mode. His first season in the league was rather mediocre at best, averaging just 8.8 ppg 2.9 rpg, 1.0 apg on 37% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. 

But the talent was there. On his sophmore season, Mclemore improved drastically. He played all the 82 games and averaged career high in points (12.1ppg) while improving his shot efficiency (44% from the field, 36% from the 3PT and 81% from the FT line). The Kings finished the season 13th in the west, with a 29-54 record and missed the playoffs. 

But it didn't matter since they had found their shooting guard for the future. 

After his sophmore success many predicted Mclemore's upcoming season, 2015-2016 will be his breakout year. Mclemore was in early conversations for the most improved player of the year candidate and the season hadn't even start yet! What happened next was something no one expected.

The early downfall...

After a succesfull 2014-2015 season, the things went south for the young shooting guard. First the Kings fired Head Coach Mike Malone at the start of the previous season, which Mclemore had a close relationship with.

Malone's firing was a huge blow to Ben. Mclemore was the first draft choice of Malone who was just starting his head coaching career in the NBA. The two had developed a friendship. 

"I love you," Malone told him on the call after the news of his firing broke out. "Keep working."

"I felt like crying right there," McLemore said.

The Kings then decided to bring George Karl, who is notorious at giving less oppurtinities to young players. Under George Karl, Mclemore minutes and perfomance overall for 2015-2016 season, saw a huge decrease compared to the previous one.

From 32.1 minutes per game in 2014-2015, he dropped to 21 per game in 2015-2016 season. His stats also took a hit, averaging just 7.8 ppg and 2.2 rpg on a 43% from the field and 72% from the free throw line. It was evident from the start that Karl didn't trust Mclemore.The player started losing confidence on himself. It didn't help also the fact that Mclemore had some injuries which made him miss 14 games.

The 2016-2017 season was more of the same. George Karl was fired and Dave Joerger came to replace him but nothing changed. Mclemore was only playing 19 minutes per game and averaged only 8.1 points. The Kings also brought another player in his position, the upcoming Buddy Hield. The project of Ben Mclemore was no longer in the future plans of the team.

NBA Journeyman

Ben Mclemore with the Memphis Grizzlies against Boston Celtics

After the end of the 2016-2017 season, Kings let Mclemore go in the free agency. Mclemore signed a 2-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2017-2018 season. The team didn't have any major expectations for the year and there wasn't a clear candidate for the shooting guard position. It was an ideal fresh start for Mclemore. But then bad luck struck him.

On August 8th 2017, Mclemore fructured his right foot while playing in a pick game. He had to be sidelined for approximately 12 weeks. This caused him to miss a lot of games and when he returned to action on November 11th 2017, Mclemore didn't have a clear spot on the rotation.

After the end of the 2017-2018 season, Mclemore was traded back to his team that drafted him, the Sacramento Kings, in exchange for Garret Temple and some cash considerations. He played only 19 games, while playing 8 minutes per game, the lowest of his career. The Kings had no use for him and decided to waive him on February of the 2018-2019 season.

From then Mclemore went to play for 3 other NBA teams. He had a redemption year in 2019-2020 season with the Houston Rockets off the bench, complementing James Harden and Russell Westbrook with his 3 point shot expertise. On 23 minutes per game, he averaged  10.2 ppg of the bench while shooting 40% from the three. Although, in the playoffs his minutes and production decreased. 

Rockets went into rebuilding mode for the 2020-2021 season and waived Mclemore on April of 2021. And that was it. After two short stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers, Mclemore was out of the NBA .

What actually happened?

There actually many reasons why Mclemore's career failed in the NBA. For starters he was drafted in a strange situation. The Sacramento Kings weren't the healthy organization you are seeing nowadays, whose competing for the playoffs. 

Kings back in 2013, had no idea in which direction they where going. It's not a coincidence that most of their lottery picks at the early 2010s didn't pan out. Thomas Robinson, Willie-Cauley Stein, Nik Stauskas and Marvin Bagley are 5 high drafted players that kings selected, in a span of 10 years, who turrned into busts! Strange isn't it?

The lack of identity in a team can hurt a player's development. The many coach changes didn't help either. After the firing of Mike Malone, Mclemore didn't have a coach in Sacramento that believed in him like Malone did. He wasn't getting the same playing time or the oppurtinities after his sophmore season. Mclemore lost his confidence and for a young player whose still developing, that can be dangerous. 

Another reason is that Mclemore never became a reliable defender. If had developed this part of his game, maybe he was still in the league. He was also incosistent on offense. His streaky shooting combined with the lack of reliable ball handling is another factor that shortened his NBA career. 

Mclemore had all the tools to became great. Did you know that the NBA draft comparison for him was Ray Allen? Mclemore was unlucky as he entered the NBA. He went to a strange organization who wasn't patient with him. 

Had he been drafted by a different team like Miami Heat for example, who are great at developing young players, who knows, maybe he was still in the league today.

Is he accountable for his failure? In some points yes, but still there are some things that you can't control.

Where is Mclemore now?

Ben Mclemore playing overseas with AEK BC in Greece

As of now Mclemore is pursuing an overseas career. Any chance he might return in the NBA? Slim I would say. He is still young though, only 31 years old and has some years of good basketball in him. If you ask me, I would love seeing him back, suiting up for an NBA team. 

Is Mclemore a bust? Yes, but still he had a 9 year NBA career and had his share of moments. How many people on earth can say that? Mclemore deserves his flowers after all.

'Until the next time...thank you for being here'

The Sports Bust - James Bartzis