Mark Cuban to the Rescue, Delonte West gets assistances

Photo of Mark Cuban by Gage Skidmore • CC BY-SA 3.0.

After disturbing photos surfaced of the former first-round pick Delonte West standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign asking for money last week went viral, “Shark Tank” host and “Dallas Mavs owner” Mark Cuban has has vowed to help, one of his former players who was in desperate need.

According to TMZ, Cuban was trying to reach West for days. West’s former coach Doc Rivers and former teammate Jameer Nelson was also trying to help West.

Delonte West Disturbing Photo Surfaces, NBA & Doc Rivers Trying To Help https://t.co/MhC4V5bWE0

— TMZ (@TMZ) September 24, 2020

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported, Cuban reached out to West’s mother, Delphina Addison, and asked her how he could help. She said find Delonte and Cuban did just that. On Monday he found West at a gas station in Dallas and reportedly took him to a hotel to meet his mother.

Mark Cuban reached out to Delonte West's mother, Delphina Addison, asking how he can help. Answer was simple: Find Delonte.

Cuban did on Monday, waited with West until his mother arrived to hotel, and West finally took step many close to him have awaited: Entered rehab. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/IiVKGH3a62

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2020

Afterwards West headed to Florida to enter rehab.

Mark Cuban picked up Delonte West at a gas station and got him a hotel. 

More: https://t.co/mKhu6xdjwn pic.twitter.com/JwAkRLGKdX

— Complex (@Complex) September 29, 2020

West last played eight seasons in the NBA, and spent his last season with Cuban’s Mavericks in the 2011-12 season. He also played for the Cavs from 2008-10.

In an interview with cleveland.com, in 2015, West spoke about his battle with depression. “Man, LeBron and Randy just fellowshipped with me and then the next thing I knew, here comes [teammate] Lorenzen Wright before, rest in peace. He came out there and grabbed me, picked me up, bear hugging me. He hugged me for like five minutes. He literally had me up and they walked me up to the plane. Lorenzen read me Bible scriptures the whole plane ride. That team was a family and LeBron was a big reason why.”  West said about his former teammate LeBron James with helping him get through dark times.