Crib-to-Draft Timeline of NBA Draft Prospect Ben McLemore's Rise to NBA Draft

Kansas Jayhawks freshman sensation Ben McLemore rose toward the top of the 2013-NBA-draft picture after a superb Big 12 campaign.

His smooth and accurate shooting stroke yielded 15.9 points per game, and his 6'5" frame and 42" vertical leap are almost certain to land him in the top five on draft night.

McLemore is on the verge of enjoying the prosperity and comforts that the NBA offers. When he officially signs as a pro, it will be an incredibly gratifying moment for him and his family, because he's endured a long journey from truly humble beginnings.

It hasn't been the smoothest path for him throughout his upbringing and high-school career, so his ascent to the biggest stage of the sport is extra special.

A Poverty-Stricken Childhood in St. Louis

McLemore underwent more than just a little adversity during his youth.

Growing up in northwest St. Louis, he and his family experienced severe poverty that resulted in frequent hunger, neighborhood violence and violence involving family.

A USA Today feature detailed the rough conditions McLemore faced growing up in a household with one bed and not enough food.

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"You get those hunger pains," McLemore said. "I am so hungry. We don't have any food. What are we going to eat? Your stomach hurts. Then you get so upset and mad, like, no food. You start having tantrums and don't want to do anything. You get mad at everybody because you don't have any food. That's what happens when you don't eat. You are so sluggish. It's just bad, man."

McLemore says the family relied on candles when the electricity was turned off. They turned on the stove and hauled a kerosene heater to the middle of the room to stay warm. McLemore says family members would huddle in the room, covered in layers of clothing and blankets, sometimes able to see their own breath in the chilled winter air.

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If that doesn't make you root for this guy, I don't know what will.

Many young boys who suffer poverty dream of the NBA as a way out, but it's extremely difficult to overcome circumstances as harsh as his.

He didn't have the resources and strong support system many other ballplayers had, but McLemore welcomed the challenge to beat the odds and make it big.

As he entered high school, he had his work cut out for him. According to a 2006 Georgia State study, 59 percent of high-school athletes believe they will earn collegiate athletic scholarships. In reality, less than two percent of them will play college sports of any kind, and 0.03 percent will play professional sports. 

Roller-Coaster High-School Years

When he was 15, Ben McLemore wasn't worried about what kind of basketball shoes he wanted or which smartphone upgrade he was getting.

Instead, he was worrying about being the man of the house after his older brother was arrested and imprisoned in the spring of 2008.

According to Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star, Keith Scott was charged with first-degree burglary, two accounts of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle. The charges stemmed from Scott's involvement in a drug-related confrontation and reportedly shooting at a vehicle less than a week later.

With a situation like that rocking his family to the core, things like basketball seemed much easier to handle. 

And handle them he did, as he led Wellston High School to the Missouri State semifinals in 2010. His brother's situation motivated him to excel on the court and compete every night.

His school district was disbanded prior to the 2010-11 school year due to substandard academic performance, so he spent the rest of his high-school career at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia and then Christian Life Center in Humble, Texas.

He became one of the top 25 high-school players in the country, and Kansas fans were excited to bring him into the fold in 2011.

NCAA Ineligibility in 2011-12

Due to some deficiencies on his high-school academic record, McLemore was ruled ineligible for the 2011-12 season and was permitted to practice in the spring as a partial qualifier.

In December of that season, he was arrested after missing a court appearance related to a citation of underage possession of alcohol (via Associated Press).

Fortunately, he learned from the incident and hit the books to earn a GPA better than 3.0 for the semester. That gave him the green light to practice with the Jayhawks in the spring.

After a productive spring of working with the 2012 NCAA runners-up, he was poised for his full-fledged debut in Lawrence.

Fabulous Freshman Year

Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson ascended to the NBA in 2012, so it was McLemore's turn to lead Kansas in the 2012-13 season.

Most scouts knew he was good, but they didn't have a good grip on exactly how he would impact the Big 12. He ended up topping all freshman in the conference in scoring, using his NBA-ready form and range to devastate opponents.

With performances like his 22-point outing at No. 7 Ohio State, 30 point outburst vs. Kansas State and 36-point barrage vs. West Virginia, it was clear that his playmaking skills would make him a top-tier draft choice.

McLemore earned consensus All-American honors and helped lead the Jayhawks to the Big 12 title. Shortly after Kansas' NCAA tournament run ended, he declared for the NBA draft.

Much like every other chapter in his life, his collegiate career didn't end without some turbulence. In May, Eric Prisbell of USA Today reported that McLemore's former AAU coach, Darius Cobb, allegedly accepted money from Rodney Blackstock, who was pursuing McLemore for sports agents.

McLemore denied any knowledge of the exchange between Cobb and Blackstock, so the incident shouldn't affect his draft status at all. It was just another trial he had to deal with on his road to the pros.

2013 Draft Outlook

With less than two weeks until the 2013 draft, McLemore remains a lottery lock and a likely top-five selection.

In fact, he could end up going No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He has all the tools and potential to be a star shooting guard in the league. It might not happen his rookie year, but with some ball-handling polish, he'll eventually be a great shot-creator and an elite scorer.

If his upbringing and journey to this point are any indication, he'll do everything it takes to be as successful as he can possibly be.

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