
Delonte West pictured with his wife and their young child in seemingly happier times. Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Delonte West, who played 10 seasons in the NBA for four teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks as well as stints overseas, was allegedly shown in a video getting beaten up by an unidentified man and talking incoherently in or near Washington, D.C. The video footage first surfaced on social media on Sunday.
For those who know about West’s struggles with bipolar disorder, the new footage may not be as surprising. But many people on social media who said they were familiar with West, 36, and his basketball career were still taken aback after seeing the videos.
West played alongside LeBron James in Cleveland for three seasons, prompting many people to wonder if the most popular player in the NBA ever tried to intervene. That answer may be a bit more complicated considering the unproven yet persistent rumor that West had a sexual relationship with James’ mother while they were teammates in Cleveland.
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Fans Urge NBA To Help Delonte West As Troubling Fight Video Surfaces was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
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That scene was followed by more footage that showed a person who sure looked like West sitting on a curb while handcuffed without a shirt on and speaking in unintelligible terms that resembled a manic episode. A voice can be heard questioning him — presumably a police officer — though it was not immediately clear who was doing the asking. It was also unclear who was filming the episode and why it was being filmed.
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I can’t believe this is Delonte West. @NBA please help him. https://t.co/6e5LQbKlUj
— Gabrielle (@gfstarr1) January 21, 2020
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I see a lot dumb comments where folks making fun of Delonte west... this is not a joking matter .... I’m going to figure out how I can help him.... he need to be in rehab or something...
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 21, 2020
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Jameer Nelson speaks on his friend and former college teammate, Delonte West. pic.twitter.com/0mtnHnOJrj
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 21, 2020
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This isn’t a joke. Delonte West, former guard for the Celtics, Cavs, Mavs and more, is in serious trouble. His brother says he’s not a drug addict, he’s got bipolar disorder. Hope Delonte gets the help he needs. https://t.co/xWE9yxESqx
— Young Daddy (@Toure) January 21, 2020
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I don’t wanna see the NBA pushing anymore mental health initiatives until they help Delonte West in some way
— Silas P. Silas (@Kenny16Techs) January 21, 2020
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Kevin Love opened the door so a lot of NBA players could be open about their mental health.
— Primetime Adam (@AdamZientek3) January 21, 2020
The league should help out a very clearly struggling Delonte West. Prayers up.
At one point in his career, West was one of the best college basketball players before at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia before being drafted into the NBA and enjoying a career as a reliable backup guard for some top teams. He showed steady improvement his first three seasons before taking a step backward when he got traded, ultimately admitting he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder during the 2008 preseason, according to the Washington Post.
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The Delonte West video is not new. The NBA players knew about him for almost 5 years. They did nothing. But why? This man was teammate with the face of the NBA, played on a historical franchise, brought City their 1st title and no one reached out to him in 5 years? Something up
— Houston Sports Fan on IR🇳🇬🇧🇯 (@mccauley713) January 21, 2020
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Sadly, old friend Delonte West has hit rock bottom. #celtics https://t.co/3e12XTJkRB pic.twitter.com/H3iRpZZu9S
— Steve Silva (@stevesilva) February 21, 2016
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Delonte West was recently spotted wandering around in Houston with no shoes...
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 22, 2016
Life comes at you fast. pic.twitter.com/GFr7SQW5TA
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I’m not going to repost the video of Delonte West for a reason. Mental health is very serious and I pray that the @NBA , former teammates, friends, ANYONE can help get him the help he needs. The world needs compassion and we need each other.
— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) January 21, 2020
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I’m horrified by the Delonte West videos. Mental health is something we need to address in this country. I hope the @NBA and Delonte’s loves ones circle the wagons to get him the help he needs. These videos are a call to action.
— Rob Adams (@double5) January 21, 2020