From Mark Cuban, a mitzvah: Mavericks owner helps former player into rehab

Mark Cuban Image by Wikipedia

By David Ian Klein September 29, 2020

Mark Cuban, the Jewish billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, interceded to get an NBA legend and former Maverick who had fallen on hard times back on his feet — for the second time.

Last week, pictures surfaced of Delonte West, who played point guard for the Mavericks, homeless and panhandling on the street in North Dallas.

In his heyday, West, whose NBA career spanned from 2004 to 2012, played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, West has also long struggled with mental illness. West has publicly disclosed that he suffered from bipolar disorder and was suicidal as a teenager.

After the pictures surfaced last week, Cuban tried to get in touch with West, ultimately convincing him to meet him at a gas station where Cuban picked him up and took him to a rehab program that he offered to pay for. He confirmed the story with The Washington Post.

It’s not the first time Cuban has helped out his former employee, in 2014, two years after West left the Mavericks, Cuban connected him with a financial adviser, in the hopes of keeping him off the street.

“The rest is up to Delonte and his family to tell,” he said.

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