Ex-NBA player Delonte West checked into rehab facility in September. He now works there
Former NBA player Delonte West has come a long way since photos surfaced last year of the ex-guard panhandling at a Dallas intersection. With the help of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, West entered the Rebound therapy center in Florida and now he has a job working at the center, media outlets, including the Athletic and ESPN, reported on Tuesday.
Videos started circulating last year which showed West involved in some dicey situations, one including an altercation in Washington D.C., Yahoo Sports reported. After the images made their way to social media, former teammates and fans began sharing their support for the former player who last played for the Mavericks in 2012.
In September, Cuban tracked down the 37-year-old at a gas station and offered to pay for his treatment at a drug rehab center in Florida after the photos surfaced on TMZ, the Athletic reported.
West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008, CBS said, and he’s struggled with finances following his departure from the NBA.
“In a sense, you feel like a weaker man, because you have to raise your hand and ask for help,” West said after being diagnosed, according to Slate. “But I found out over the last week that it made me a stronger person. I came back focused, and with the help of some medicine and talking with people on a regular basis, I’m back in good spirits.”
West was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft and played for 11 years for numerous teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Mavs.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 10:39 AM with the headline "Ex-NBA player Delonte West checked into rehab facility in September. He now works there."