Delonte West is actively working on an NBA comeback according to his mother. She says he’s getting his life back together after a string of troubling setbacks.
Everyone became concerned for West after pictures surfaced showing the 32-year old looking dissolved in Texas and apparently begging for change in Maryland. There were reports that he was homeless but West denied that.
Delphina Addison, his mother, tells TMZ Sports he has had some mental health issues recently but he’s back on his medication and in a good place.
“He is working toward coming back to the NBA. He has has been working out and that’s where he’s at as of now,” she says.
As for the photos of West apparently panhandling, Addison says the pictures didn’t tell the whole story.
“People did see him holding a sign but what they don’t know was there was a homeless guy standing out across from my place and Delonte saw him and wanted to help him out.”
“Delonte is not homeless. He’s living with his wife and kids,” Addison says.
West spent time in a medical facility earlier this year but feels like he’s made significant improvements and is now mentally prepared to get back to work.
“Delonte told me, ‘Mom, if it took some things that I had to do to show me some wisdom, I thank God for that.”
“He is a heck of a player, and he said, ‘It’s showtime!’ He’s ready to come back.”
Delonte’s issues with bipolar disorder and it’s effect on his time in the league have been well documented including his arrests, suspensions and being dropped from teams.
He previously wanted to return to the NBA in 2014 after playing in China and played with the Miami Heat’s summer league team but never made the official roster. He last played in the league in 2012 with the Dallas Mavericks before he was released after two suspensions.
The question now is will any team take a gamble on him?
