The NBA is giving Delonte West another path to cash flow, and this time it comes through the video game world.
West, who has been working his way back after a turbulent stretch, is being added as a playable character in NBA 2K27. A post on X said, “@NBA2K is officially adding Delonte West to 2K27 and he’s going to be receiving royalty payments starting March 2027.
Awesome stuff from 2K,” and the graphic showed him in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey. That fits his resume: he spent two and a half years with the team and had what were arguably his best seasons there.
The move comes after West reached 100 days inside a wellness and recovery program in Florida following a difficult start in 2026. He has reportedly sobered up, and the 43-year-old is now set to get a steady stream of income from the game.
West’s road back has been a long one. A few years ago, during the pandemic, he was seen panhandling on the streets, a stark contrast from the life he had as an NBA player and multimillionaire. The former Saint Joseph’s star’s fall was hard to watch, but plenty of people kept trying to help him.
On the court, West hasn’t played pro basketball since 2015, but he can still go. YouTuber N3on learned that the hard way when he challenged West to a one-on-one and got swept 3-0. West didn’t even need to dribble to finish the job.
Over eight NBA seasons, West played for the Celtics, SuperSonics, Cavaliers, and Mavericks, finishing with career averages of 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
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