What happened to Delonte West? Explaining his fall from NBA as his viral “panhandling” video resurfaces
Delonte West should be remembered for the positive memories he produced on the basketball court. The eight-year NBA veteran spent time with the Celtics, Cavaliers, Supersonics (now Thunder), and Mavericks. He was a reliable role player on a number of contending teams.
West averaged 9.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over 432 NBA games from 2004-2012. However, his life has taken a heartbreaking turn. His mishaps are often brought to light on social media.
Damn Delonte West https://t.co/fLqoBsW8Bh
What happened to Delonte West?
West had some mental health struggles that impacted his life prior to his retirement. He has been on record admitting to drug abuse during his teen years and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008.
The former 24th overall pick was first arrested in 2009, at which point he was still playing for the Cavaliers. He was pulled over for a basic traffic stop when it was discovered he was transporting a number of weapons. West pleaded guilty to traffic and weapons charges and avoided jail time. He was sentenced to two years of probation and 40 hours of community service.
The troubles continued for West following the 2009 incident. He was booked on four misdemeanor charges for attempting to enter a stranger's car as recently as September. He has been photographed wandering the streets in a hospital gown as well as begging for money on several different occasions.
Mavericks general manager Mark Cuban attempted to step in and help West in September 2020. He picked up the former Mavericks guard at a gas station after a video of him surfaced online and checked him into rehab.
Delonte West also teased a potential comeback to basketball by trying out for the Big 3 League. Despite some workout videos surfacing, the league indicated that he did not show up for final tryouts when the day came.
Mark Cuban says Delonte West's rehab is "still an uphill battle, but he's climbing” 🙏
(via @mcuban) https://t.co/Ho6yxeb1pc
Earlier this year, West was arrested twice in the span of two weeks for two different counts of public intoxication. Cuban shared his disappointment and shared the message that mental illness and addiction continue to give West struggles.
There is still plenty unwritten in Delonte West’s story. Hopefully he can get his life back on track. At just 39 years old, there is still time for him to recover. This also shows the heartbreaking reality that no amount of money or fame can help people escape their demons. At the end of the day, professional athletes are still human beings.