Mark Cuban went out of his way to help former NBA player Delonte West as the latter battled drug addiction and mental health issues after his playing career ended. But despite several efforts to help West get back on the right path, Delonte’s demons kept pulling him back to the dark side.
Frustrated, Cuban decided to step back and let the former first-round pick find his way back on his own terms. According to the former Mavs majority owner, it’s brutal to see someone you care about continue to struggle despite doing everything to help.
“I thought we had him,” said Cuban. “I thought we had him turned around. We sent him down to Jayson’s place down in Florida. It’s like a farm, Jayson Williams.'”
Mark sent Delonte to Jayson’s rehab facility
Cuban first helped West in 2020 after photos of a homeless West surfaced online. He contacted the 9-year NBA vet and agreed to meet in Dallas. Mark made Delonte reconnect with his family and sent him to the Rebound Institute, a rehab facility in Palm Beach, Florida, owned and founded by former New Jersey Nets big man Jayson Williams.