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Former-Celtic, Delonte West, needs help now, or he won't make it

As a retired Police Lieutenant, I have seen what is contained in the following videos all too often. Young lives destroyed by alcohol, drugs and mental illness. Delonte West has taken a self-destructive path since his days in the NBA, four of those years spent in Boston.


The former 24th-overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft had his best season during the Celtics 2006-07 campaign in which he notched 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.1 SPG. He was traded to the Seattle Supersonics after that season as part of a package that brought Ray Allen and Big Baby Davis to Boston. West was reacquired by the Celtics for the 2010-11-season as a backup to point guard, Rajon Rondo.

Recent videos apparently show Delonte getting beaten on the street and in handcuffs yelling out an unintelligible rant. He is clearly close to the end of the line and needs help quickly and desperately - or he will be found deceased in the near future.


Two years ago, I still had concerns about where Marcus Smart was heading, in his life and NBA career. Since then, it seems certain that Smart has chosen the right path, and not the destructive route taken by Delonte West. This video from two years ago was in my article, as is the excerpt:

Marcus Smart had many problems growing up, according to the Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes. He had anger issues, tried to outrun gunfire, mourned the early death of his half-brother from cancer and always seemed to be avoiding the gang warfare in his neighborhood. Some anger issues seem to have resurfaced during his present stint with the Celtics in the form of two wall punchings in the last year, the last one putting him out of action for roughly two weeks.

So the question now is, which path does Marcus follow. Hopefully, it is not the one chosen by Delonte West.


Money alone won't help this man, but it may be a start. He desperately needs a mentor that has a passion for getting West back on his feet. If that doesn't happen, I doubt he will be with us for very long.

6:10 AM PT (UPDATE) -- TMZ Sports has spoken with Delonte's former agent, Aaron Goodwin, who confirms the person in the video is in fact Delonte West.
Goodwin tells us West is currently recovering from the attack with family members but desperately needs medical attention.
Goodwin says West HAS a support system around him but his close friends and family members need more help to keep Delonte safe and out of trouble.
We're told the NBA has and is offering to support West and his family. But, the reality is, they can only do so much.

Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel, @CausewayStreet and Facebook

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