Delonte West: ‘Sometimes I Forget I Even Played Basketball’
Delonte West: ‘Sometimes I Forget I Even Played Basketball’
Former NBA player Delonte West has been in the news over recent years due to his mental health and bouts with homelessness in between his struggles with addiction. In a recent interview, West states that “sometimes I forget I even played basketball” to a YouTube blogger who saw him in Virginia late last month.
A young man named Shiakuro, who says he hails from Richmond Hwy, VA and has his own YouTube channel spoke to West in a parking lot. During the conversation, West admits and speaks about going to the rehab center that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban placed him in several years ago. He also admits that he is in the early stages of MS (Multiple sclerosis) and loses his thought process at times.
“I suffered from mental health you know, I got early stages of MS,” he tells Shiakuro. ” I’m just losing my thoughts, man.” As he continues to speak he adds, “Sometimes I forget I even played basketball.”
West’s struggles have been well-documented as he has been seen in the streets panhandling and once being filmed getting beat up in the streets.
Last month, he was filmed back in the streets asking motorists for money as they drove by him in Virginia. This comes after several attempts by people, specifically Cuban, to steer him back in the right direction after he was seen years ago begging in the streets.
In the fall of 2020, West, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was battling substance abuse issues and homelessness. After Cuban got in touch with West’s mother, Delphina Addison, he reunited her with West at a gas station. The former Dallas Mavericks player entered a rehab facility in Florida with the help of the Shark Tank star.
Earlier this spring, in March, West tried out for Ice Cube‘s BIG3 basketball league.
West apparently has fallen upon hard times again, but reports can’t seem to pinpoint what led to that point.
Over his eight-year NBA career, West had averaged 9.7 points and 3.6 assists per game while playing for the Dallas Mavericks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics.
West took the discussion he had with Shiakuro with stride as he told him, “God knows what he’s doing. If any other thing would’ve happened differently, then me and you wouldn’t be sitting right here talking. So look at the joy and love that we’re bringing right now.”
Delonte West: ‘Sometimes I Forget I Even Played Basketball’
