Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban picked up former Mavs player Delonte West at a gas station in Texas and is attempting to get help for West, per multiple reports.
TMZ Sports first reported the news of Cuban picking up West, who played for the Mavs in the 2011-12 season. West disclosed in 2009 that he has bipolar disorder and has struggled with off-the-court issues for years. Cuban confirmed to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that he is attempting to help West get his life back on track.
Friends and family of West, reports TMZ Sports, have been trying to get West to go to a drug rehabilitation facility and Cuban has offered to pay for treatment. In two videos that went viral in January, West was shown being hit by another man in a street near Washington D.C. In the other, a shirtless, handcuffed West was being asked about the attack.
Several former teammates and coaches — as well as Cuban — have expressed concern for West. Cuban reportedly made an attempt recently to help West after photos of him panhandling in the Dallas area circulated online last week.
West was the No. 24 overall pick of the 2005 draft by the Boston Celtics and played eight seasons in the NBA, averaging 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. His last NBA season was in 2011-12 with Dallas, when he averaged 9.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.3 spg in 44 games. He was eventually waived by the Mavs that season for conduct detrimental to the team.
After his playing days in the NBA ended, West played for the Mavericks’ NBA G League franchise, the Texas Legends. He logged two separate stints with the Legends, playing in eight games in 2012-13 (averaging 10.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.4 apg and 2.3 spg) and four games in 2014-15 (14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.3 spg). He was also a part of the LA Clippers’ Summer League team in 2014, but was waived shortly after that ended.
