Delonte West has had a troubled life. The former NBA star’s issues have made his story very a tragic one to follow. Especially since he is a father who has been struggling to make ends meet for his children throughout it all. In a recent video interview, the former NBA player discussed everything from his time being in the NBA, his smental truggles and his life as a father. According to West, his children have been taken from him again.
Delonte’s issues started in childhood as he spent a lot of time on the rough streets of Washington DC. He experimented with drugs and eventually developed an addiction. Despite this, he was still a talented basketball player and found his way into the NBA. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics and was reportedly making $ 4 million a year. The money did not make his life any easier, and the access just opened up his world to more trouble.
Delonte got arrested for speeding and was found with guns in his car in 2009. This was followed by the 2010 lockout, where he struggled to find work due to his charges, making it impossible for him to go play overseas. Instead, he applied for jobs at The Home Depot and took to social media to let fans know that he’d fallen on hard times.
A few years later, videos began surfacing of him on the streets begging and fighting. This became a regular occurrence for West as he seemed to turn to panhandling every time he had financial issues. Despite attempts from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to help get him rehabilitated and even putting him on a D League in Texas, Delonte continues to end up on the streets looking worst and worst each.
Most recently, he was spotted outside a 711 in Virginia begging for cash, only a few months after it had been announced that Ice Cube’s Big3 league had taken an interest in him. Delonte was able to find work thanks to a generous offer by a local car dealership that brought him on board to help with some renovations they were doing, but that was only temporary.
West recently sat down with HipHopisReal.com, where he told his side of the story. A very tired and weathered looking Delonte sat passenger side of a vehicle where the outlet asked him questions about everything going on. He took a sip of water and confessed that he had not drank water in months. “This might be the first sip of water I’ve had since February, so I’m drinking water, so it’s a special occasion, so I’ve just been reborn, I just baptized myself.” It was clear Delonte was very exhausted, hungry and possibly high.
Elsewhere in the interview, Delonte opens up about his true ambitions during his time in the NBA. He reveals that he really aspired to be a coach and was doing a lot of scouting for The Boston Celtics while playing for them. “I was supposed to be the next young phenom head coach in the NBA. I put my time in, I was a scout for the Boston Celtics for three seasons, and I scouted for the mavericks while in rehab and therapy for like a year.” He then says that his mother and LeBron James’ mother are best friends and addresses the rumors that he was having an affair with Gloria Marie James. He says that lie took a lot of opportunities taken away from him despite it being absolutely false.
Delonte West is married to a woman named Caressa Madden, and they have two children together. During the interview, West revealed his children’s ages and that they’ve been taken away from him. “My kids are 7 and 8. They just took my kids from me again.” He gets a bit incoherent from there but mumbles about failing his kids eight years in a row and not being able to buy them a Slurpee. We know that one child’s name is Cash West but the other child’s name was never revealed.
It’s clear Delonte West is not in the best state, but he does try to open up during the discussion and explain his situation. He says that he missed his flight to the Big3 invitation because he did not have the money to make it to the airport. “I missed my flight, and therefore when I have an opportunity as a man between homes panhandling, sleeping in homeless shelters, waiting and praying for a blessing like this to come my way. I should have been more responsible.” He says he currently has a broken toe, which he fears might have also hindered him if he even made it to the Big3. Delonte says he will be returning to the parking lot of that 711 to panhandle once the interview wraps.
Our prayers are with Delonte West and his family.
