“Success comes to those who work hard.” Delonte West has come a long way in his basketball career, from being raised in the streets of poverty to being a well-reputed star.
West is a well-known personality in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who has played for multiple teams.
Before playing for the professional teams, the Washinton-born played for college basketball teams in Saint Joseph’s University and was recognized by the Boston Celtics for the 2004 NBA draft.
West particularly did not have a long career in basketball when he bid goodbye after his final game with the Mavericks in 2015.
However, the former player constantly manages to repeatedly rule the media through his controversies.
The article will emphasize the life story of West and help you connect and explore his world.
Let us look at some quick facts about the player without more of any beating around the bush.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Delonte Maurice West |
| Known as | Delonte West |
| Birth Date | July 26, 1983 |
| Birth Place | Washington D.C., United States |
| Father | Dmitri West |
| Mother | Delphina Addison |
| Siblings | Dmitri West Jr., Danielle West |
| High School | Eleanor Roosevelt (Greenbelt, Maryland) |
| College | Saint Joseph’s (2001 – 2004) |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Age | 41 years old |
| Height | 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters) |
| Weight | 180 lb. (82 Kg) |
| Body Type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Position | Point guard, Shooting guard |
| Last Team | Texas Legends |
| Draft | 2004, Round: 1, and Pick: 24th Overall |
| Active years | 2004 – 2015 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Jersey Number | 13, 2 |
| Spouse |
|
| Children | Son: Cash West |
| Net Worth | $1000 – $2000 |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | NBA Trading Card |
| Last Update | April, 2025 |
Delonte West: Early Life & Family
On July 26, 1983, Delonte West was born to Dmitri West and Delphina Addison in Washington, D.C.
Delonte’s childhood wasn’t quite the bed of roses since he grew up in poverty. His parents divorced when he was young, and they had to settle off in a bad neighborhood.
The 6 feet 4 inches guard’s mother raised him and his two siblings, Dmitri West Jr., and Danielle West, alone. Even if they were poor, they quoted their childhood to be “happy-poor.”
Delonte had a rough start in life since it was noticeable that he wasn’t in the right mental state from an early age.
Being born as a biracial child with red hair and other characteristics, he was constantly bullied by the kids in the neighborhood.
Apart from the entire chaotic situation back home, the one thing that kept him going was his love and passion for basketball.
The only reason he went to school was to be able to participate in the games, which proved correct when he experienced a leg injury at the age of 12; he started skipping school since he couldn’t play.
With everything going on, Delonte went into depression and tried committing suicide multiple times at the age of 14, forcing him to go back and forth to the hospital.
As a single mother, worried and frustrated by her son’s actions, Delphina decided it would be better for Delonte to move in with his father.
However, Delonte’s father would not care much about his condition, and things would worsen when Delonte met many people in his new school who showed him the path of drugs and alcohol.
Delonte West: High School & College Career
Delonte studied in Eleanor Roosevelt high school in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he earned himself a reputation as a basketball star.
In his senior year, he received the Washington Post All-Met Basketball Player of the Year with an average of 20.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 steals, and 3.9 assists per game.
Delonte and his team made it to the Maryland 4A championship but lost at 70-58 even with his best performance.
Although the disappointment, he had hoped for something better in college. He joined Saint Joseph’s University and played alongside Jameer Nelson.
The Saint Joseph’s Hawks went 27-1 throughout the regular season, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. The Hawks had a 30-2 record at the end of the season.
Delonte quit school during his junior year when the Boston Celtics selected him as the 24th pick for the 2004 NBA draft.
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Age, Height & Weight
Born in 1983, Delonte is currently 41 years old with a towering height of 6’4” (1.93 m).
As a basketball player, West had an athletic body type that weighed 180 lb. (82 kg).
Delonte West: Career
The American point guard was recognized by the Boston Celtics and selected as the 24th pick for the 2004 NBA draft; this marked a changing point in his career.
He scored a career-high 31 points and made a career-high 12 free throws in a double-overtime Celtics victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
West has played professionally in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Fujian Xunxing and Shangai Sharks and the Texas Legends of the NBA G League.
He marked the end of his basketball career in the NBA with his team Mavericks in 2015.
As of January 2020, he was seen in a video being beaten in the streets of Washington, DC.
Controversies
West comes into the media’s limelight for multiple controversies, including police cases, warrants, jail, etc.
Let’s look at some of the controversies that caught greater attention.
- Delonte’s first wife, Awad, filed a complaint about domestic violence against him in October 2009.
- During an investigation, the police reportedly found three guns; a pistol, revolver, and shotgun. He appeared in court on November 20.
- There have been reports of Delonte having an affair with LeBron James’s mother, Gloria James. It has been outlined that West had been sleeping with James’s mother. However, the affair was never confirmed.
- West repeatedly lashed out against the referee and teammates during his play with the Mavericks. Later, through his therapist, he discovered that he was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
- In October 2021, West surfaced in the news again. He was locked up for banging on the doors of a Florida police department. He also insulted cops while holding two bottles of alcohol in his hand.
Awards & Recognitions
- Third team All-American – NABC, SN (2004)
- 2* First team All-Atlantic 10 (2003, 2004)
Delonte West: Girlfriend, Wife & Kids
Delonte West is a married man with two kids from his wife, Caressa Suzzette Madden. The couple met through a mutual friend in 2012.
Caressa Suzzette Madden’s early life is not quite an open book, but we know that she was with Delonte through his thick and thin.
Madden belonged to a middle-class family and did not have much media presence before dating the NBA player; hence she is most commonly referred to as Delonte West’s wife.
As romantic as it gets, it is rumored that West proposed to Madden by cutting a fragment off a jump rope from the garage and wrapping it around her finger since he could not afford a ring with his ongoing financial crisis.
For the curious minds out there, Madden is the second wife of West, who shares two kids, one being Cast West.
Delonte’s first wife was Kimberly Ashley Awad, who his father refers to as his “college sweetheart.”
Net Worth
The former basketball player’s net worth is only $1000.
Delonte’s life could be cited among the tragic and worst examples of a career end. It isn’t very pleasing to see how West went from having a net worth of $16 million to $1000 in a short span of time.
West made the most money in his career during his time with the Boston Celtics for no less than $9.8 million playing against LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He had played eight seasons in his career as a basketball player and earned $1.5 million a season. As of 2019, he made a handsome salary of $1.223 million annually.
West, along with his wife, lived in a $1 million house with huge swimming pools, bedrooms, and a fantastic view of the Potomac.
With all the luxury on the outside, the show inside was completely different.
West was facing some financial difficulties and therefore could not afford the expenses within the house, which led him to sell a few things which could earn fast money.
Moreover, in 2011, he applied for a job at Home Depot and was employed at a furniture store.
Social Media Presence
West is not very active on social media, and with a pretty low followers list, people might have difficulty finding his accounts since it is not verified.
From his Instagram, we can see that he has not been active for some years now, and the nine posts give only bits about his personal life.
His Twitter account has been null since 2016, and the few contents here and there are about basketball.
Instagram: 7094 followers
Twitter: 2173 followers
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did Delonte West retire?
During his time with the Mavericks, West was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, and with the repeated scenario, the Mavericks cut him loose from the group.
He further played for the Texas Legends, but they released him on March 15, which marked the end of his basketball career.
Where is Delonte West now?
People have reportedly seen him walking around the streets, in hospital gowns without shoes.
During this hardship of his life, Mark Cuban, the owner of Dallas Mavericks, came to his rescue when he paid Delonte to join the drug rehabilitation center.
As of now, he is working at the rehab center and has reunited with his mom.
