Former NBA player Delonte West says he was helping homeless man, not panhandling, in viral photo

Former NBA talent, who last played in Texas with the Dallas Mavericks, is raising concerns on social media after a photo was taken showing him spending last weekend "bumming" on a street in Temple Hill, Md. Former NBA talent, who last played in Texas with the Dallas Mavericks, is raising concerns on social media after a photo was taken showing him spending last weekend "bumming" on a street in Temple Hill, Md. Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Former NBA player Delonte West says he was helping homeless man, not panhandling, in viral photo 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

Former NBA talent Delonte West, who last played in Texas with the Dallas Mavericks, is raising concerns on social media after a photo was taken showing him spending last weekend "bumming" on a street in Temple Hill, Maryland.

On June 26, Delonte West was the subject matter of a now-deleted tweet by user @JJ_RipCuba which read, "Let's Pray for Delonte West Y'all He Bipolar And On St. Barnabas Road Bumming SMH He Ain't Taking His Medicine," according to Complex.com.

Delonte West denies being homeless after a viral photo shows him asking people for change: https://t.co/hkJPBTHzkI pic.twitter.com/JExJ9QEPAo — Complex (@ComplexMag) June 28, 2016

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The 32-year-old, who hasn't played in the NBA since 2012, told Media Takeout he was indeed the man in the photo holding a cardboard sign, cup and a wide-brimmed hat which looks like a hybrid of Pharrell's Grammy hat and a Stetson.

However, he refuted claims that he was panhandling. West said he does own a home, in a neighborhood, where he decided to help the homeless.

"I was helping a homeless man in my neighborhood that's paralyzed from [the] neck down," he told Media Take Out. "I parked my car and got out to help because it was 90 degree weather and I was feeling blessed at the moment for just having legs."

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West's headline-grabbing history includes mocking former teammate Lebron James in a deleted Instagram post back in January, walking around a Houston Jack in the Box barefoot claiming he was no longer himself because he was "not about that life anymore" and acting "erratically" at a youth basketball game, according to Complex.

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In February, the former athlete was the subject of conversation on ESPN's Dan Le Batard with Stugotz show in which the need for "more mental health aid" for the star was discussed.

Earlier this year, his brother Dmitri West Jr., told Complex the basketball player was "not crazy" and "not on drugs."

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