Delonte Maurice West is a former professional basketball player. He has played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in his career.
However, his amazing basketball journey was cut short after he retired in 2015 and became addicted to Embalming fluid and alcohol.
NBA Star Delonte West Addiction With Embalming Fluid And His Rehab Journey
NBA star Delonte West was addicted to embalming fluids and had been on the streets for years until being helped to rehab by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
The surprising disclosure came just one day after Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban offered to pay for West’s rehab.
When his friend, Lenora Cole, 50, noticed West panhandling outside a grocery shop near Irving in 2020, she decided to aid him. And she has been frantic for the father-of-two to receive proper help.
Daily Mail reported Cole has been providing cash, clean laundry, and meals to West and disclosed that he also suffers from paranoia. She also claimed that the troubled star “trusts no one.”
In September 2020 a disturbing photo of West standing in the rain on the side of a Dallas roadway with a sign pleading for help went viral on social media.
Cole first saw the former Mavericks star begging for money outside a Kroger store in Las Colinas, Texas, six months ago. She began assisting the struggling West and has remained a friend since then.
“He’s a lovely and humble person who is never violent or hostile,” she explained.
A video obtained by TMZ showed West inside the convenience shop at the gas station before being picked up by Cuban in his blue Tesla. West’s mother, Delphina Addison, was contacted by the Mavericks owner, who inquired how he could assist her.
Cuban is said to have taken the homeless athlete to a motel and waited for West’s mother. West was admitted to a Florida rehabilitation center the next week.
After retiring from the NBA in 2015, West’s life spiraled downward due to substance abuse.
In 2016, he was seen walking about Houston, reportedly homeless, and in January 2020, he was seen on camera being beaten up on a roadway in Washington, DC.
West, who last played in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011-12 season, worked very hard to get back on track following his addiction.
In 2022, the 38-year-old is in Washington, D.C. for trials with the BIG3 League. Ice Cube developed a 3-on-3 professional basketball league including All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and World Champions.
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What Is Delonte West Doing Now?
Delonte West was once again seen back on the streets seeking assistance as indicated by several social media posts. According to Basketnews, following a BIG3 roster snub, the former NBA star was seen waving a little cardboard sign on a Virginia roadway.
He returned to basketball and was eligible to be drafted into Ice Cube’s BIG3 league, but he was passed over. West appears to be back to panhandling a few weeks after the snub.
Since retiring from competitive competition in 2015, West has faced a slew of financial and psychological issues.
His fans are having a mixed reaction to his situation at the moment. Some are actually worried about his addiction and are hoping for his best.
One writes,” Please don’t take advantage of this. He’s in trouble. Make an effort to assist. The NBA should look after its players, who have brought in millions of dollars in revenue. This makes me sick and sad, and don’t even try to tell me he’s gotten help. It’s a never-ending war.”
While some have argued that you can’t help someone who refuses to be helped again and over again. “It is not LeBron’s responsibility to help this man until he expressly demands it,” another wrote.
Netizens are also demanding the NBA have a program or benefits to assist retired players in regaining their footing.
West, perhaps, will help himself this time and prove that he wanted to change from the inside out.
Delonte West’s Career Earnings And Net Worth
Delonte West earned more than $16 million in his nine-year NBA career, which ended after his single season with the Mavericks in 2011-2012(Daily Mail). He was only 28 years old at that time.
West last played in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011-12 season, before battling an embalming fluid and alcohol addiction.
The 1.93-meter guard had played for the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Seattle SuperSonics before joining Texas. Over 432 games, he averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in the NBA.
Unfortunately, he went homeless after his serious addiction to embalming fluids and alcohol. He was frequently spotted begging and panhandling in the streets.
The Boston Celtics selected West with the 24th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Due to injury issues, he only played 39 games in his debut season.
West was named the starting point guard for the 2005-06 season during his first season. West was switched to the shooting guard position for the 2006-07 season.
He was traded to the Seattle Supersonics in 2007 and to the Cleveland Cavaliers in early 2008 as part of a three-team transaction. He had a season-high of 20 points against the Boston Celtics as a Cavalier, and it was just six days after the trade.
West signed a three-year, $12.7 million contract with the Cavaliers in late 2008. West’s emergence as a highly-skilled backcourt defensive player and an amazing outside shooter raised a few eyebrows.
He was eventually traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves by the Cavaliers, but his stay with the organization was brief.
In late 2010, West signed a one-year deal with his old team, the Boston Celtics, to serve as a point guard backup to Rajon Rondo. Following a guilty plea to firearms charges, the interaction came to a screeching halt.
From 2011 to 2012, Delonte was a member of the Dallas Mavericks.