Athletes Show Support for Delonte West After Videos Surface

Athletes are showing support and concern after videos of troubled former NBA player Delonte West surfaced on social media.

In one of the videos, a man, thought to be West, can be seen being beaten in the middle of a road in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The second video shows a man, identified as West by police, sitting on a curb with his hands cuffed behind his back as he is being questioned. The video was shot by an officer. According to Prince George's County police, an internal investigation concerning the officer who recorded the video is underway.

West, 36, has roots in Maryland and played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks. He's a father and in 2015 spoke about having bipolar disorder.

The videos sparked concern for West and and generated a larger discussion about mental health care in the United States.

I see a lot dumb comments where folks making fun of Delonte west... this is not a joking matter .... I’m going to figure out how I can help him.... he need to be in rehab or something...
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 21, 2020

Sad to hear the news about Delonte West. We failed him. We should be talking about mental health honestly all the time, not just when celebrities are in crisis. Let’s not caricature the mental health topic through Delonte’s struggles... Check your own coffee mug first. #BeWell
— Royce White (@Highway_30) January 21, 2020

If you applauded Liz, Kevin Love, Demar Derozan, even me, for sharing mental health struggles then you have to extend that same energy to Delonte West in the midst of his struggles.
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) January 21, 2020

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— Jameer Nelson (@jameernelson) January 21, 2020

I think it would be great for the @nba to go and find Delonte West and force him to get help!!! They have the resources and they have been doing a great job with Current Players for as Mental Health and now it’s time for them to show the same love to Former Players!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 21, 2020

Delonte, my man, my teammate. I wish you peace. May the world learn compassion and choose to see you as a human being. You showed me kindness and I wish the world could see how kind you are. Hang in there. #DelonteWest
— Lance Allred (@lanceallred41) January 21, 2020

Sports reporters and coaches also weighed in with their thoughts.

Many Delonte West video comments show a lack of understanding of how mental health lives on a continuum; with mental illness at one end. We all exist on that continuum & are susceptible to illness just like our physical health. More mental health education & compassion are musts.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 21, 2020

There’s no reason to repost that video of Delonte West. He needs help. Not judgment nor jokes or making light of a really tough situation. We are all deserving of compassion. Let’s find a way to help. Even if that’s simply by being kind.
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) January 21, 2020

Reading comments on the Delonte West videos is one of the most disgusting things I have seen. We have just lost all compassion and humanity through the distance technology creates.

He is a man with documented mental heath and substance abuse problems not a good laugh. Y’all lame
— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) January 21, 2020