Delonte West has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him

Sports people have a long history of having run-ins with the law. In this regard, they are similar to rockstars, in that they often have plenty of money, but sometimes not a lot of common sense. One of the famous examples are Eric Cantona, who was arrested for assault after kicking a Crystal Palace fan after he was sent off.

In boxing, there are also plenty of examples, for a range of offenses such as assault (Derek Chisora) , armed robbery (Bernard Hopkins) and possession of narcotics (Mike Tyson). It seems like a sport more than many others that seems to have competitors who get caught up in illegal activity.

Many people enjoy watching the NBA, because of how exciting it can be, especially if you place bets on it. Each week, thousands if not millions of bettors will be searching for NBA picks to see what sort of odds they can get on live basketball games. It is a thrilling spectacle, and one of the most bet-on sports in the United States, if not the world.

However, it also isn’t any stranger to controversy, as many NBA players have been charged, if not arrested, for breaking the law in a few different ways. Some of the players had already retired by the time they were arrested, like Henry James (dealing cocaine) Kirk Synder (aggravated burglary) or Sly Williams (kidnapping). What really throws fans, especially if they’ve already placed bets, are the players who get arrested while they’re still playing.

During his time playing for the Boston Celtics, Charles E. Smith was charged with vehicular homicide after he hit and killed 2 students, before fleeing the scene. He was sentenced to 4 and a half years, which he served 28 months of.

Qyntel Woods was part of the Portland Trail Blazers between 2002 and 2004. His career in Oregon was cut short, as he was found to be staging dog fights in his home. While charged, he was released on probation and served 80 hours of community service. He also donated $10,000 to the Oregon Humane Society to atone for his offences.

Detone West had a long career in basketball, first appearing in 2004. He played for a number of teams, before retiring in 2015. However, he has been back in the news recently following an arrest, which he pleaded not guilty to. Let’s take a closer look at his career, which can be described as nomadic, before finding out exactly what he’s been charged with.

Injuries curtailed a promising career

Unfortunately, West will be one of the many players who never achieved what he could have done in his NBA career, as struggled with injuries throughout his playing time. They began early on, when he was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 draft. He was the 24th pick overall, so clearly they had high hopes for him, but he played just 39 times, which mainly came from the bench.

He moved on to the Seattle Supersonics in 2007, before then heading back east to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he played alongside LeBron James. He then moved back to the Celtics, where he was arrested for having numerous weapons in his car. He was then suspended by his team, and struggled to get back into the team. From there, he moved around often, including 2 stints in China.

Recent trouble with the law

Aside from his issues in Boston, West has been diagnosed as bipolar, as well as other mental health issues. This can be used to explain some of his often erratic behaviors. In 2020, he was photographed at an intersection in Dallas, asking for money. He was taken to a rehab facility by Mark Cuban, the owner of one of his former teams the Dallas Mavericks, and reportedly got clean.

However, only in the last few weeks West has had another issue with the police. He was found to be drunk and disorderly, banging on the doors to the entrance of a police station in Boynton Beach, in Florida. At the time he was carrying an open bottle of vodka, as well as a can of beer. He then shouted abuse at the officers who attempted to restrain him.

It appears that he has now pleaded non-guilty to the charges which were brought against him, which were for an open container, disorderly intoxication, and obstruction/resisting without violence. Given his profile, and his well-documented troubled mental health, his lawyer will be hoping to have the charges treated as a misdemeanor.

We will find out the outcome shortly, as West is due back in court to face the charges before Christmas. Whatever happens, let’s hope that he gets the help he needs, to try and stay out of trouble and get his life back on track.