How Delonte West, a NBA Star, Became Homeless – And How He Plans on Making a Comeback

Basketball: A Salvation

On multiple occasions, former NBA star Delonte West has admitted that he did not have the most idyllic childhood. In fact, he told the Washington Post in 2015 that he had quite a troubled youth. During his younger days, he was bullied due to his red hair and brown skin.

Through it all, though, basketball was his salvation and his center. However, all that stopped when, in eighth grade, West suffered a leg injury during a game of basketball. Despite his young age, the basketball player started to use drugs when he could no longer play the game he loved…

A Dark Childhood

No questions asked, drugs only make dark times worse. His use of drugs caused Delonte West to spiral downward until he needed to be admitted to children’s hospitals due to suicidal thoughts and self-harm tendencies. “I mean, I was basically crying for attention,” West explained to The Washington Post. “Maybe 17 or 18, you tell the story differently. ‘Man, I tried to kill myself.’ At 31, you say, ‘What the hell was I doing?'”

Thankfully, West found a way out of his dark childhood days. That being said, if you or anyone that you know self-harms or has suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline immediately at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Making a Promise

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital

During his time in the children’s hospital, West thought he would never escape the darkness of his childhood. He felt he had nowhere else to turn. Then, West remembered his mother taking him to church as a young child.

One particularly hard night in the hospital, West dropped to his knees and prayed to God, making a solemn promise. “You help me survive this and someday play pro basketball,” he prayed. “And I’ll make sure I glorify your name.” Incredibly, West made it through the night and left the hospital less than a month later. Everything seemed to be falling into place…

“Always Harder on Himself”

Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Following his religious awakening, Delonte West went back to school, enrolling in Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland. There, he became a standout player on the basketball team, eventually becoming the United States All-Met Player of the Year.

“I remember his first game playing JV,” recalled West’s high school coach, Glenn Farello. “I was upset, just going off on the team, letting them know how disappointed and frustrated I was. He raises his hand… ‘Delonte, you have something to say?’ [I said]. He says, ‘Coach, I’d like to apologize to you and all of my teammates. I feel I didn’t play to my capabilities tonight, and it’ll never happen again.’ I’m thinking to myself, ‘You’re the only one I’m happy with right now.’ But that’s Delonte — always harder on himself than anyone could be.”