Newly surfaced video shows a haggard Delonte West panhandling on the side of road in Virginia, more than 10 years after he played alongside NBA legend LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers – and just weeks after he was reportedly trying to stage a basketball comeback.
Footage posted to social media over the weekend shows the embattled ex-NBA star panhandling on the side of the highway in Alexandria, Virginia. It remains unclear when the footage was recorded.
West, 38, played for the Cavaliers for two years and was a former teammate of LeBron James.
He was supposed to be making a basketball comeback with The BIG3 (a 3-on-3 league with former NBA players), it was announced in April.
Troubled former NBA guard Delonte West was seen panhandling at the side of a road in Alexanderia, Virginia
Footage posted to social media over the weekend shows the embattled ex-NBA star, panhandling on the side of the highway in Alexandria, Virginia.
In one clip posted online, a fan exchanges pleasantries with the man believed to be West and says, ‘My dog Delonte, how you doing my brother?’ West’s response was not audible.
In one clip posted online, a fan exchanges pleasantries with the man believed to be West and says, ‘My dog Delonte, how you doing my brother?’
West’s response was not audible.
The driver who posted the pictures to twitter seemed extremely surprised to see West on the side of the road.
‘Seems Delonte West on Richmond highway in Virginia 2 days ago. What happened so quick? A few months ago I thought they were trying to get him into the Big3 league,’ he tweeted.
West last played for the Dallas Mavericks, a team owned by Mark Cuban but after being off NBA rosters for more than a decade, it was hoped he might make a return to the court .
The Big 3 League includes veteran players who are typically in their 40s. The 12-team league was founded by Ice Cube in 2017 and often recruits former NBA players to fill their ranks.
One driver who posted the pictures to twitter seemed extremely surprised to see West on the side of the road
As for West’s troubles, it’s not the first time he’s been spotted asking for money on the streets.
In September 2020, photos circulated showing West panhandling at an intersection in Dallas, Texas.
West, who has publicly battled bipolar disorder, was quickly picked up by Cuban from a local gas station. Cuban paid for his drug rehabilitation treatment and well providing West a hotel room to stay.
But a source confirmed to DailyMail.com that West has since entered rehab at least three times and has walked out on each occasion.
In what has become a sad, but regular occurrence for West, a brief video of the 2020 meeting with Cuban went viral, prompting fans and friends to plead for the former star to seek help.
Monday’s latest footage came less than two years after another viral video showed West being pummeled along a Maryland highway.
Troubled former NBA guard Delonte West (left) was met at a Texas gas station by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (right) in 2020 to help the player who has battled bipolar disorder and a reported drug problem
Troubled former NBA guard Delonte West was met at a Texas gas station by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in 2020 after a photograph of him begging on the streets of Dallas went viral last week. Ultimately the billionaire was able to get in touch with West, who agreed to meet
Delonte West met Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (left, right). He is said to have checked West into rehab three times but walked out every time.
West first made headlines along with National College Player of the Year Jameer Nelson and AP Coach of the Year Phil Martelli on a Saint Joseph’s team that went 27-0 in the 2004 regular season and earned a top seed for the NCAA tournament before losing to Oklahoma State in the Elite 8.
He was then drafted by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft and eventually became a starter alongside LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008.
West earned over $16 million during his nine-year career, which ended after his only season with the Mavericks in 2011-2012, when he was just 28.
He tried making a comeback in the D-League and even signed in China, but his history of mental health issues began to overshadow his career.
In 2009 he was pulled over riding a three-wheeled motorcycle, leading police to discover three firearms strapped to his body. He ultimately pleaded guilty to weapon charges and was ordered to undergo psychological counseling, in addition to probation and community service.
In 2016 a photo emerged of him panhandling in suburban Washington D.C., but it was never proven that he was actually homeless at the time.
Most recently, in October, West unleashed a homophobic tirade at police and claimed he’s a better player than James as he was being arrested for public intoxication in Florida.
West was stopped by police in Boynton Beach, Florida, on October 19 when he allegedly began banging on the glass doors of the local precinct. Police said he had open containers of beer and vodka, and ultimately charged him with resisting an officer without violence and disorderly intoxication.
In the police videos obtained by DailyMail.com, the 38-year-old West calls officers ‘b****es’ and ‘f*****s.’ He also claims to be the greatest basketball player ever.
‘N****, I was better than LeBron James,’ West said, referring to his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate. ‘I’m better than [Michael] Jordan. I was the best n**** to play every sport. Shut the f*** up.’
West goes on to say that he’s Jesus Christ and the President of the United States before mentioning Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
‘You just gave up your chances of going to heaven,’ he told the officers. ‘I came here to save you and help you. I’m the President of the United States – President Jesus.’
West’s mood swung wildly during the arrest. He’s heard chuckling to himself at various moments before flying into a rage at the officers without warning.
When he was searched, West accused one officer of groping him. Later he continuously yelled ‘shut the f*** up’ as police talked among themselves.
According to the police report obtained by DailyMail.com, West initially attempted to walk away from officers, but was ordered to stop. One officer even pulled his taser on West without using the device.
‘… [West] began to place his hands inside the waistband of his pants,’ read the officer’s report. ‘At that time, I did unholster and initialize (light and target lasers only) my electronic control weapon (Taser 7) and continued to give verbal commands in which West did comply and dropped to his knees with his hands in the air.’
The video ends with West being cuffed in a police car outside the station.
‘What did I do?’ West asked police. ‘What did I do?’
Video of West being pummeled on a Maryland highway went viral in January of 2020. West, who previously revealed that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008, is not seen fighting back in the footage. Rather, the 6-foot-4 Washington D.C. native appears to be incapacitated as his assailant stomps on his motionless body
West’s NBA career may be best remembered for his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, when he played with LeBron James (right) on one of the best teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk