Delonte West Responds To Panhandling Video, Says He's Okay

Delonte West was spotted panhandling last week, leaving social media concerned, but the basketball player insists he is ok and just in between jobs.

Source: MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / Getty

The story of Delonte West is one that has garnered massive attention on social media. West was the 24th overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft landing on the Boston Celtics. West played in the NBA until October of 2012 when he was waived by the Dallas Mavericks. Afterward, he took his talents overseas before that ended and the next time we saw him was in a string of viral videos of him panhandling.

In 2016, he was seen panhandling in a hospital gown then four years later in 2020, he was spotted several times before Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban stepped in to assist.

Delonte West spotted panhandling after help from Mark Cuban, says he is “in-between jobs”

Mark Cuban was able to get Delonte help with his mental health and into rehabilitation and from all the pictures that surfaced, he seemed to be doing well.

A week ago, however, a video surfaced of West panhandling in the streets leaving many worried that he’d fallen back into his previous lifestyle. According to TMZ, Delonte says that’s not the case and he is simply in between jobs.

“It is what it is,” West said. “I got children. I’m in between jobs. People can help me as much as they can, but you know, as a man I gotta do what I gotta do for my babies.”

When it comes to his love for basketball, It’s still alive and well and Delonte isn’t giving up just yet.

“I’m always involved in the game I love,” the athelte told TMZ. “Last year, I was scouting for the Dallas Mavericks and the previous three years, I was an NBA scout for the Boston Celtics.”

“I was actually looking forward to being a head coach or assistant coach in the NBA this season but like I said, it’s a business that have a lot of people involved and wanna stay involved.”

“Prayerfully, luckily I’ll be up for discussion this upcoming season.”

It sounds like West is hopeful for the future, we wish him the best.