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Delonte West, the former NBA guard whose public battles with mental health and substance abuse have drawn widespread attention in recent years, has shared a hopeful new milestone: 100 days of sobriety.
On March 25, a man named Ted Sheely posted a video of West on Facebook. In the clip, West appeared in good spirits, wearing an all-black outfit with Jordans on his feet and a chain around his neck. He was holding a phone and an energy drink, with a smile on his face.
“Yeah, I’m out here with my man Ted, you know what I’m saying? Get your shine on,” West says in the video. “We out here in Florida. Uber just pulled up. Cadillac. We out here with Wellness Fitness & Performance. They got me right and tight. Today, I’m 100 days sober.”
The announcement has fans feeling hopeful for a man whose path since leaving professional basketball has been marked by repeated setbacks.
Delonte West’s Career Was Cut Short
West was once a promising first-round draft pick. The Boston Celtics selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, and he went on to play eight seasons in the league.
He suited up for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks, playing alongside some of the greatest players of all time, including LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki.
Over his NBA career, West averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. His final NBA season was 2011-12 with the Mavericks.
After leaving the league, he played in China and later the NBA’s D-League before retiring in 2015.
Delonte West’s Post-NBA Struggles
West’s life took a difficult turn after his playing days ended. According to ESPN, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008.
By 2016, videos of him panhandling in Maryland went viral online. West later confirmed he wasn’t homeless at the time and was, instead, helping a homeless man in his neighborhood.
More photos of him panhandling went viral in 2020. At the time, former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban helped him out financially and helped him enter a drug rehabilitation clinic.
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West has rebounded and relapsed several times since then, including a string of arrests. He was arrested at least twice in 2024, according to TMZ.
In November 2025, he was found “unconscious and not breathing.” He was breathing by the time the Fairfax County Police Department arrived on the scene. West refused to be taken to a hospital but was arrested due to how intoxicated he was.
Delonte West’s Difficult Road to Recovery
West was reportedly 30 days sober in January before another setback. One week later, he was arrested in Virginia on robbery and assault charges. The robbery netted only $23, while his bond was set at $1,000.
His attorney Brandon R. Sloane told TMZ that the full details of the case would emerge over time.
“(I’m) proud of Delonte as he has used this process to seek out help and been released on bond to a treatment facility,” Sloane said at the time. “We all look forward to his continued progress, and Delonte is particularly appreciative of the numerous thoughts and well wishes over the last several weeks.”
The March 25 video marks a significant step forward for West, whose journey through mental health challenges, homelessness and substance abuse has played out publicly for nearly a decade.
Videos of him on the streets have gone viral in recent years, drawing both concern and support from fans who remember the talented guard he once was.
Now, at 100 days sober and connected with a wellness program in Florida, West’s latest update offers a reason for cautious optimism — and a reminder that recovery is rarely a straight line.
