The heartbreaking downfall of LeBron James’ former teammate Delonte West

Delonte West was a well-established NBA player, playing in the league for nine seasons and earning around $16 million, according to Marca. 

After finishing with a 27-1 record with the St Joseph's Hawks in college, the 6ft3 guard was selected 24th in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, where he only played 39 games in the first season because of injuries.

By the time his second season came around, West was a starter for Boston, scoring a career-high 31 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves and making a name for himself because of his game-winning moments. 

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According to Fadeaway World, West developed a 'clutch gene' by hitting a game-winner against the Charlotte Bobcats in November 2006 and scoring a game-tying three-pointer against the New Jersey Nets in March 2007.

West's ability was recognized by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008, off the back of their 2007 NBA Finals appearance with NBA GOAT LeBron James. James and West created a fierce partnership during the 2008 playoffs.

James and West would link up for two game-winning moments in their series against the Washington Wizards, with James hitting West for a wide-open three in game four and West teeing up James to help the Cavs win the series 4-2.

Eventually, West was moved on from the Cavaliers after reports that he and Gloria James (LeBron's mum) were seeing one another. During his time with Cleveland, West began to suffer breakdowns, and he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

In September 2009, West found himself in trouble with the law, being stopped for carrying three firearms on his motorcycle. He was found guilty of the weapons and traffic charges, according to Cleveland.com.

Just after the gun charges, and a month after he had been married to his childhood sweetheart, she filed for divorce and filed for a domestic violence complaint. 

His bipolar disorder and mood swings made it hard for him to play in the NBA, returning to the Celtics, where he was suspended for ten games due to the gun charges, and playing back up to Rajon Rondo in the 2010-11 season.

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His final NBA stop was the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged 9.6 points per game in the 2011-12 season. He was suspended by the Mavericks for a preseason incident in 2012 and was eventually waived by the team. 

West bounced around the lower leagues in America and had a spell in China. In 2016, a clip of West went viral as he was photographed walking around a public place in barefoot and a hospital dressing gown, sparking speculation that he was homeless. 

According to ESPN, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tried to help West get back on his feet, paying for his drug rehabilitation treatment and hotel room to stay in because he was photographed panhandling at an intersection in Dallas. 

In January 2021, there were reports that West had found a job at a rehab center and was reunited with his mum, but more videos came to life of him begging in 2022, but this time in Virginia. 

In October 2022, West was arrested for trying to enter a car that didn't belong to him. He was booked on four misdemeanor charges.

Marca reports the last known whereabouts of Delonte West was outside a 7/11 store in Virginia, begging for money. Reports suggest some of his former teammates have tried to reach out but have not had any luck.

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