NBA coaches and players are banding together once again to help former NBA star Delonte West after a new viral photo shows him panhandling for money on the side of a busy roadway in Dallas.
On Sept. 22, Twitter user @Calltcooks uploaded a photo that showed a bedraggled West wearing a white, loose-fitting long sleeved shirt and grey jogging pants.
He was holding a cardboard sign, begging for money. @Calltcooks captioned the image: “Got damn Delonte West.”
Delonte west really out here in north dallas smh pic.twitter.com/9SxZzIO5AP
— ?? (@CallTcooks) September 22, 2020
The 37-year-old former shooting guard once played alongside LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers team. They fell out after gossip blogs linked West with James’ mother, Gloria James, in a relationship.
West played 8 seasons in the NBA. He last played for the Boston Celtics in 2012, but he was waived for arguing with teammates.
After playing in the NBA’s D-league and for a China team, West returned to the U.S. and fell on hard times after he began drinking and allegedly abusing drugs, which exacerbated his mental health problems.
At the peak of his career, West purchased homes for his parents and helped family members financially, but he received little financial help after he fell on hard times.
Viral photos and videos over the years have portrayed West as homeless and a drug addict. West’s former coach Doc Rivers and the Players Association tried to help him after he was beaten bloody by a homeless man in January.
Several years ago, West’s brother, Dmitri, revealed his brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“Delonte West is not crazy, he is not on drugs. I don’t know what exactly is going on in his mind but I can tell you that he is safe and he’s doing OK. My family are trying to get him the best professional help that’s out there, the best that they can afford.”
The NBA has once again offered its resources to help West, theGRIO reported.
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