Delonte West picked up by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who offers to pay for rehab

Billy Heyen

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Delonte West picked up by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who offers to pay for rehab image

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban picked up former NBA guard Delonte West at a Dallas-area gas station Monday, according to TMZ. The Mavs owner is hoping to help West, who played for Dallas during his pro career, after a viral video of West panhandling surfaced on social media last week. West was pictured on the side of the road in the rain holding a small cardboard sign. 

Cuban took West to a local hotel Monday, according to TMZ, while Cuban and West's family and friends attempt to formulate a plan for West to go into rehab. TMZ also reported that Cuban has offered to pay for West's entire treatment. The Athletic's Shams Charania added to the reports that Cuban reunited West with his mother — who requested that Cuban "find Delonte" — and that West is now checked into a rehab facility in Florida. 

Delonte West's off-court difficulties

Midway through his NBA career, West announced that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008. In 2010, while still an active NBA player, West pleaded guilty to two weapons charges. 

West has fallen on tough times since his retirement from the NBA. In 2016, he was spotted wandering around a Houston-area Jack in the Box with no shoes. 

Earlier this year, West was allegedly involved in a rough altercation in Washington, D.C. A man who looked to be West was videotaped being attacked in the middle of the road, and another video showed the man who looked to be West handcuffed and talking to police. 

Delonte West's time with Mavericks

West's connection to Cuban comes from his time with the Mavericks in his final NBA season, 2011-2012. West played in 44 games that season, starting 33, and averaged 9.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. That was the final stop of an NBA career that began in 2004 with the Celtics and also included stops with the Seattle Supersonics and the Cavaliers. The biggest shot of West's NBA career was a game-winning 3-pointer off a dish from LeBron James in the first round of the 2008 playoffs. 

West grew up in the the Washington, D.C.-area before attending Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia for college. Former NBA coach and current TNT broadcaster Stan Van Gundy, in a reply to former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, was among those who sent out support on social media for Cuban and West.

Billy Heyen