This was more than Delonte being Delonte. Carrying three loaded guns on a motorcycle while zipping through suburban Washington in September 2009 was far more bizarre and frightening than his past transgressions. West spent the 2009-10 season in Cleveland, protected by the Cavaliers, unwilling to meet with or shielded from the media.
This season, he has been a virtual chatterbox, but easily could have avoided addressing his troubles during training camp. Confronting his past has served as a form of therapy, and he has refused to camouflage his warts or hide in embarrassment.
The kids at the BARJ Drop-in Center in southeast Washington certainly appreciate his openness. The at-risk youths, most of whom are serving probation, drop by the center to spend constructive time away from negative environments. And once a week this summer, they were mentored by a 6-foot-3-inch free agent NBA guard.
“We just let them know we’re going through this together,’’ West said. “I know I came from right where you guys came from and I was a little bit of a troublemaker also.
“They could really relate to me. Just as I had my monitor bracelet on, every kid in the room had a monitor bracelet on. So it wasn’t like they couldn’t relate to me. I seen a different look in their eyes.’’
Working with troubled youth reminded West of his childhood in Greenbelt, Md. It also gave him a new perspective on his success as a pro athlete and how many kids view him as a role model.
“In a way, a lot of positives came out of it,’’ he said. “It might have been meant for me to take a few steps back for others to take a few steps forward and at the end of the day. I’m OK with that.
“Kids sometimes look up to [athletes] more than lawyers and teachers and doctors, so we gotta take that responsibility. Instead of really focusing on what I was doing on the basketball court, the focus was more off the court.’’
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