Mark Cuban played a critical role in getting former NBA player Delonte West into a treatment facility, and now the Dallas Mavericks owner has shared another encouraging update on how well things are progressing.
West, who has battled chemical dependency and mental health issues for years, finally accepted the help he desperately needed when Cuban tracked him down a few weeks ago after several concerning incidents over the past year and beyond.
Cuban appeared on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast this week, during which he revealed that West — who played for the Mavs in 2011-12, his final NBA season — is participating in a new activity as part of his rehab and treatment.
“I just got a picture today, he was skydiving — SKYDIVING,” Cuban relayed, as transcribed by the New York Post. “He’s making progress. I just hope he stays with it. The first couple weeks are tough, but going through rehab and dealing with addiction that’s not easy.”
Cuban’s update follows a photograph he shared on Twitter last week that showed West enjoying a ride on horseback.
West’s behavior in the weeks before Cuban tracked him down in Dallas with the help of the former NBA player’s mother was becoming increasingly erratic, including extreme paranoia and the belief he was addicted to embalming fluid and alcohol.
Cuban went on to share during the podcast how things played out leading up to him connecting with West and then escorting him to a rehab facility.
“He didn’t call me back for a few days,” Cuban said. “Then he called me back and I told him, ‘Delonte, don’t move. I’m coming to get you.’ And that’s what I did: Went and got him a hotel room, let him sleep it off and went to get him some food.
“I sat there, waited for his mom to get there and waited with him. She got him on a plane and got him to rehab (in Florida).”
Matters of mental health when paired with drug and alcohol addiction obviously create a situation where taking things day-by-day is paramount. It certainly sounds like West is taking the steps necessary to increase the likelihood of recovery, and for that he is indebted to Cuban for helping him take those first steps.
More must-reads: