Delonte West Lands Job Weeks After NBA Veteran Seen Panhandling in Virginia
Eight-year NBA veteran Delonte West has landed a job, two weeks after a video of West surfaced of the former point guard panhandling in Virginia.
As reported by TMZ, Beyer Subura car dealership in Alexander, Virginia, asked the flooring company that's working on their dealership if West could lend a helping hand. The flooring company agreed, and West has been working with them for the past two days.
The video of West, who has battled mental health and addiction issues over the past several years, panhandling in Virginia went viral, but West responded that he was simply trying to take care of his children.
“It is what it is,” West told The Image Direct in response to the viral video of his roadside panhandling. “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.”
West played eight seasons in the NBA, drafted out of Saint Joseph’s University by the Boston Celtics in 2004. He spent three seasons in Boston, before stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks. West averaged 9.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game in his career, last playing with the Mavericks during the 2011-2012 NBA season.
West was hoping to play in Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league this summer, but didn’t make the cut, leading to West looking for work elsewhere.
"I was excited to have the opportunity," West said, according to TMZ. "I'll be there next season. I'll be there rooting guys on."
West says he’s been involved in the NBA over the past few seasons, scouting for the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics.
"I'm always involved in the game I love,” West 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."