Fans Celebrate NBA Star Delonte West Completing Sober Streak After Battling Homelessness and Addiction

Former NBA guard Delonte West is showing positive signs in his recovery.

Fans Celebrate NBA Star Delonte West Completing Sober Streak After Battling Homelessness and Addiction

Delonte West (Image credits - Firstsportz)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Former NBA guard Delonte West has had a difficult and tragic life. West has played eight seasons in the NBA since being drafted as the 24th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA draft. Since being drafted in 2004, he has played for various franchises, including the Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks.

The guard was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008, and things have gone downhill since. Despite making close to $16 million in salary during his time in the NBA, he has gone bankrupt, been arrested multiple times, battled substance and alcohol abuse, dealt with mental health issues and was rumored to be homeless and living on the streets of Washington D.C.

Things got so bad for Delonte West that former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban even helped him at one point. But it was to no avail, as the 42-year-old could not stay out of harm’s way. After his NBA career came to an end in 2012, he went to play in China before ending his basketball career in the NBA D-League in 2015.

Since retiring, West has struggled to stay away from trouble. In 2020, he was seen panhandling and was picked up by Cuban. Cuban then worked with him and put him in rehab. But West squandered his opportunity and was seen begging on the streets again two years later.

But it appears that West is finally taking some significant steps in his long-publicized battle with addiction and personal struggles.

It is a sign that West is finally focused on sorting out and rebuilding his life. Hopefully, he does not relapse and gets back to his old ways again in the future.

Fans react to Delonte West’s recovery progress

West’s journey has included setbacks alongside moments of progress. But the internet was happy to see the former NBA star looking better and were quick to express their opinions on social media.

NBA fans will be hopeful that they won’t hear any troubling news again, as many of the comments across social media were hoping for the best for him.

Delonte West’s fall from grace

It is hard to believe that a first-round pick who played for the Boston Celtics and even played alongside the likes of LeBron James would see his life pan out the way it has. West was not the most skilled or the tallest player on the court, but he brought in hustle and a gritty attitude. He is the type of player who would put his body on the line in every play.

Delonte West
Delonte West (Image credits – ESPN)

His most successful time in the league came during his spell with the Cavaliers. He played and started in 64 games in the 2008-09 season and averaged 11.7 points per game. West, alongside Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Anderson Varejão, came together to form a supporting cast for franchise player James. In the 2009 playoffs, West averaged 13.8 points and helped the Cavs reach the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Orlando Magic in six games.

But sadly, after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, with time, West became known less for his basketball and more for his personal struggles. His journey has been filled with ups and downs – one filled with survival, setbacks, and the hope of redemption.

Also Read: