This is not the news I was hoping to relay today, but here goes.
According to WPTV and Yahoo Sports, former NBA guard Delonte West was arrested on Tuesday night after getting into it with the Boynton Beach Police Department in Florida.
From Yahoo Sports:
West, 38, was arrested in Boynton Beach, Florida. West reportedly started banging on glass doors at the Boynton Beach police department lobby. West was also yelling obscenities and carrying two open containers of alcohol, according to the police report.
West reportedly walked away from police. He was ordered to place his alcohol containers on the ground. West complied with that order, but then moved his hands to his waistband. An officer pulled out a Taser. At that point, West cooperated. He reportedly “continued to be belligerent and screaming profanities and obscure rants” when placed in the police car, according to the report.
WPTV reports that according to police, the 2004 first-round draft pick reeked of alcohol and had slurred speech. As a result of this unfortunate encounter, he was charged with “resisting an officer without violence, disorderly intoxication and having an open container.”
West was reportedly released on bail Wednesday morning, but this is the latest chapter of the continued struggles that have permeated his personal life since his NBA career drew to a close. Most recently, the 38-year-old made the news back in January when he secured a job working at the rehab center that helped him get back on his feet.
“Update on Delonte West,” The Athletic’s Sham Charania reported at the time. “West now has a job at the Rebound therapy center in Florida, which is the facility he attended.”
Clearly, this latest misstep is heartbreaking, but hopefully Delonte is able to get his life back on track. At 38 years of age, he still has plenty of life to live and so much to offer the world.