Delonte West
Encyclopedia
Delonte Maurice West is an American
professional basketball
player who last played with the Boston Celtics
of the NBA.
in Greenbelt, Maryland
, where he excelled at basketball. He led the Raiders to their first tournament appearance. They made it to the Maryland 4A championship, where Delonte had 22 points and 8 rebounds, but the Raiders lost 70-58. He was named Washington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year due to his averages of 20.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.1 steals per game. He scored double figures in all but one game his senior season. He then committed himself to Saint Joseph's University
.
and Naismith Award
winner Jameer Nelson
, averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 assist
s per game and shooting 41% from three-point range
as a junior. His efforts helped the Hawks to go 27–0 in the regular season, and earn an Elite Eight
appearance in the NCAA Tournament
. Saint Joseph's finished the season at 30–2.
as the 24th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft
. In his first season he struggled with injuries, playing a total of just 39 games, mostly coming off the bench. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.7 rebound
s and 1.6 assists per game. After making the transition to point guard
in his rookie
season, West was named the starting point guard
at the beginning of the 2005–06 season by head coach Doc Rivers
.
In 2005–06, West averaged 11.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 4.6 APG. On February 12, 2006, he was named to represent the Celtics on the sophomore team for the Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend. Coincidentally, he replaced his college teammate Jameer Nelson
, who withdrew because of injuries.
West was moved to the shooting guard spot in the 2006–07 season, but showed signs of difficulty early in the season. He was later moved back to the point guard position. West had some clutch shots, including a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Charlotte Bobcats
on November 8, 2006, and a game-tying three pointer with 4 seconds remaining in regulation to bring the game into overtime against the New Jersey Nets
on March 3, 2007. The Celtics would eventually win the game against the Nets. The next day against the Minnesota Timberwolves
, West scored a career-high 31 points and made a career-high 12 free throw shots, in a double overtime Celtics victory. West scored all 31 of his points in that game during the second half and the two overtimes. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he was sharing starting minutes with Rajon Rondo
.
) the Celtics traded West to the Seattle SuperSonics
, along with Jeff Green
(their 5th overall pick) and Wally Szczerbiak
. Boston received Ray Allen
and Sonics' 35th overall pick Glen Davis
.
On February 21, 2008, West was part of a three-team trade that sent him, Ben Wallace
, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
. He was reunited with his Saint Joseph's teammate Dwayne Jones
.
As a Cavalier, West played in 26 regular season games (starting all 26). As a Cavalier, he averaged 10.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He had a season high 20 points against the Boston Celtics
only six days after his trade to the Cavaliers and a season-high 11 assists on March 30, 2008 against the Philadelphia 76ers
. For the entire season, West played in 61 games (starting 31) and averaged 8.3 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
On April 27, 2008, West made perhaps the most clutch 3-pointer of his NBA career with 5.4 seconds left in a playoff game against the Washington Wizards
, in Washington. His tiebreaking game-winner took the Cleveland Cavaliers
to a 3–1 lead in this first round series. In 13 playoff games, West averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. West scored 21 points in both Game 3 and Game 5 against the Boston Celtics
.
position at the beginning of the season, due to the acquisition of Mo Williams
.
He became a starter for the Cavaliers, who won a league-best and franchise-record 66 games during the regular season and went 39-2 at home. In addition to his role as the starting shooting guard, he also served as the backup point guard, manning the position when Mo Williams was not in the game. He emerged as a talented backcourt defensive player, guarding a variety of players ranging from the 6'3" Ben Gordon to the 6'10" Hedo Turkoglu. Offensively, he proved to be a capable outside shooter, with a field-goal percentage of 46% (and 40% on three-pointers), and maintained his reputation as an athletic and hard-nosed driver with the ball. West, Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
, and Anderson Varejão
came together to form a supporting cast for franchise player LeBron James
.
On March 2, 2009, against the Miami Heat, West set a career high with 8 steals.
In the playoffs, West's averages shot up to nearly 14 points per game, despite struggling with his 3-point shot much like his backcourt-mate Williams, whose shooting struggles in the playoffs were well documented. Further, the Cavs' lack of scoring punch on the bench forced West to take on extremely high minute loads. He averaged 42 minutes per game throughout the postseason, and in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic (which the Cavs lost in 6 games due in part to, again, outside shooting struggles from Williams and West) he played over 45 minutes per game, more than any other player in the series. In addition to this, he drew the defensive assignment of Hedo Turkoglu, who had a 7-inch height advantage, to allow James to play the "rover". West was able to stop Turkoglu's facilitation of the Magic offense in spurts, but the height advantage was too much, as Turkoglu helped to dominate the Cavalier defense throughout the series. West set a new career playoff high in points, with 22 in a losing effort in Game 6 against the Magic when the Cavs were eliminated.
left the Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat, the Cavaliers traded West, along with Sebastian Telfair
, to the Minnesota Timberwolves
for Ramon Sessions
, Ryan Hollins
, and a future draft pick. Minnesota waived West shortly after acquiring him. On September 1, 2010, the Boston Celtics
signed West to a one-year contract to backup Rajon Rondo
as a point guard. West was suspended for the first ten games of the 2010-11 season following a guilty plea to weapons charges in Maryland.
For his 2010-11 season, West finished with 5.6 points per game, 0.8 steals per game, and 2.7 assists per game. He also shot .867 from the free throw line.
, .357 Magnum
and a Remington 870
in a guitar case. He was arrested and had a court appearance on November 20. His trial was scheduled to be heard on February 18, 2010, but was postponed until July 21, 2010. West pleaded guilty to the traffic and weapons charges and was sentenced to electronic monitoring, unsupervised probation
, and 40 hours of community service
as well as psychological counseling.
and Piscataway Indian
descent.
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Boston
| 39 || 7 || 13.0 || .426 || .358 || .704 || 1.7 || 1.4 || .5 || .2 || 4.5
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Boston
| 71 || 71 || 34.1 || .487 || .385 || .851 || 4.1 || 4.6 || 1.2 || .6 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Boston
| 69 || 47 || 32.2 || .427 || .365 || .853 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 1.1 || .5 || 12.2
|-
| align="right" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
| 35 || 5 || 20.8 || .388 || .339 || .667 || 2.7 || 3.2 || .9 || .3 || 6.8
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 26 || 26 || 31.0 || .440 || .367 || .788 || 3.7 || 4.5 || 1.1 || .7 || 10.3
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 64 || 64 || 33.6 || .457 || .399 || .833 || 3.2 || 3.5 || 1.5|| .2 || 11.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 60 || 3 || 25.0 || .445 || .325 || .810 || 2.8 || 3.3 || 0.9|| .5 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Boston
| 24 || 2 || 18.9 || .458 || .364 || .867 || 1.5 || 2.7 || 0.8 || .4 || 5.6
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 388 || 225 || 27.8 || .447 || .373 || .819 || 3.0 || 3.6 || 1.0 || .4 || 9.7
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Boston
| 7 || 3 || 16.4 || .524 || .455 || .500 || 1.3 || .6 || 1.0 || .1 || 4.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 13 || 13 || 34.8 || .400 || .429 || .854 || 3.3 || 4.2 || 1.1 || .5 || 10.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 14 || 14 || 42.2 || .465 || .333 || .833 || 3.5 || 4.1 || 1.4 || .5 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 2010
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 11 || 0 || 24.5 || .418 || .158 || .938 || 1.9 || 2.6 || .8 ||.9 || 6.7
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Boston
| 9 || 0 || 18.9 || .468 || .368 || .800 || 1.9 || 1.3 || .6 || .0 || 6.6
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 54 || 30 || 29.6 || .443 || .354 || .841 || 2.6 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .3 || 9.2
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who last played with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
of the NBA.
High school career
West went to Eleanor Roosevelt High SchoolEleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland)
Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
, where he excelled at basketball. He led the Raiders to their first tournament appearance. They made it to the Maryland 4A championship, where Delonte had 22 points and 8 rebounds, but the Raiders lost 70-58. He was named Washington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year due to his averages of 20.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.1 steals per game. He scored double figures in all but one game his senior season. He then committed himself to Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
.
College career
At Saint Joseph's University he formed what was widely regarded as the best backcourt in the country along with WoodenJohn R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
and Naismith Award
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
winner Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball at Saint Joseph's University and was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets but was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he has played for his...
, averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 assist
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
s per game and shooting 41% from three-point range
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
as a junior. His efforts helped the Hawks to go 27–0 in the regular season, and earn an Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
appearance in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. Saint Joseph's finished the season at 30–2.
NBA career
West chose to leave St. Joe's after his junior campaign and was selected by the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
as the 24th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft
2004 NBA Draft
The 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
. In his first season he struggled with injuries, playing a total of just 39 games, mostly coming off the bench. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.7 rebound
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
s and 1.6 assists per game. After making the transition to point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
in his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season, West was named the starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
at the beginning of the 2005–06 season by head coach Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
.
In 2005–06, West averaged 11.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 4.6 APG. On February 12, 2006, he was named to represent the Celtics on the sophomore team for the Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend. Coincidentally, he replaced his college teammate Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball at Saint Joseph's University and was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets but was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he has played for his...
, who withdrew because of injuries.
West was moved to the shooting guard spot in the 2006–07 season, but showed signs of difficulty early in the season. He was later moved back to the point guard position. West had some clutch shots, including a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
on November 8, 2006, and a game-tying three pointer with 4 seconds remaining in regulation to bring the game into overtime against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on March 3, 2007. The Celtics would eventually win the game against the Nets. The next day against the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, West scored a career-high 31 points and made a career-high 12 free throw shots, in a double overtime Celtics victory. West scored all 31 of his points in that game during the second half and the two overtimes. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he was sharing starting minutes with Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a...
.
2007–2008
On June 28, 2007 (during the 2007 NBA Draft2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
) the Celtics traded West to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, along with Jeff Green
Jeff Green (basketball)
Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft...
(their 5th overall pick) and Wally Szczerbiak
Wally Szczerbiak
Walter Robert "Wally" Szczerbiak is an American former professional basketball player.-Early life:Szczerbiak was born in Madrid, Spain, while his father Walter was playing for Real Madrid, and spent much of his childhood in Europe during his father's playing career...
. Boston received Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
and Sonics' 35th overall pick Glen Davis
Glen Davis (basketball)
Ronald Glen Davis , commonly known as Glen Davis and by his nickname Big Baby, is an American basketball player who last played for the NBA's Boston Celtics...
.
On February 21, 2008, West was part of a three-team trade that sent him, Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak
Wally Szczerbiak
Walter Robert "Wally" Szczerbiak is an American former professional basketball player.-Early life:Szczerbiak was born in Madrid, Spain, while his father Walter was playing for Real Madrid, and spent much of his childhood in Europe during his father's playing career...
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. He was reunited with his Saint Joseph's teammate Dwayne Jones
Dwayne Jones
Dwayne Jones is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Along with senior Jameer Nelson and juniors Delonte West and Pat Carroll, Jones was an integral part of the undefeated Saint Joseph's team during the 2004 regular season. The Hawks earned a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament...
.
As a Cavalier, West played in 26 regular season games (starting all 26). As a Cavalier, he averaged 10.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He had a season high 20 points against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
only six days after his trade to the Cavaliers and a season-high 11 assists on March 30, 2008 against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. For the entire season, West played in 61 games (starting 31) and averaged 8.3 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
On April 27, 2008, West made perhaps the most clutch 3-pointer of his NBA career with 5.4 seconds left in a playoff game against the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, in Washington. His tiebreaking game-winner took the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
to a 3–1 lead in this first round series. In 13 playoff games, West averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. West scored 21 points in both Game 3 and Game 5 against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
2008–2009
On September 12, 2008, West signed a three-year $12.7 million contract with the Cavaliers. He was moved to the starting shooting guardShooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
position at the beginning of the season, due to the acquisition of Mo Williams
Mo Williams
Maurice "Mo" Williams is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association...
.
He became a starter for the Cavaliers, who won a league-best and franchise-record 66 games during the regular season and went 39-2 at home. In addition to his role as the starting shooting guard, he also served as the backup point guard, manning the position when Mo Williams was not in the game. He emerged as a talented backcourt defensive player, guarding a variety of players ranging from the 6'3" Ben Gordon to the 6'10" Hedo Turkoglu. Offensively, he proved to be a capable outside shooter, with a field-goal percentage of 46% (and 40% on three-pointers), and maintained his reputation as an athletic and hard-nosed driver with the ball. West, Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association...
, and Anderson Varejão
Anderson Varejão
Anderson França Varejão is a Brazilian professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He won the gold medal with Brazil at the 2003 Pan American Games.-1998–2001 :...
came together to form a supporting cast for franchise player LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
.
On March 2, 2009, against the Miami Heat, West set a career high with 8 steals.
In the playoffs, West's averages shot up to nearly 14 points per game, despite struggling with his 3-point shot much like his backcourt-mate Williams, whose shooting struggles in the playoffs were well documented. Further, the Cavs' lack of scoring punch on the bench forced West to take on extremely high minute loads. He averaged 42 minutes per game throughout the postseason, and in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic (which the Cavs lost in 6 games due in part to, again, outside shooting struggles from Williams and West) he played over 45 minutes per game, more than any other player in the series. In addition to this, he drew the defensive assignment of Hedo Turkoglu, who had a 7-inch height advantage, to allow James to play the "rover". West was able to stop Turkoglu's facilitation of the Magic offense in spurts, but the height advantage was too much, as Turkoglu helped to dominate the Cavalier defense throughout the series. West set a new career playoff high in points, with 22 in a losing effort in Game 6 against the Magic when the Cavs were eliminated.
2010-2011
After LeBron JamesLeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
left the Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat, the Cavaliers traded West, along with Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Telfair was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Abraham Lincoln High School...
, to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
for Ramon Sessions
Ramon Sessions
Ramon Sessions is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was drafted by Milwaukee with the 56th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Sessions played collegiately at the University of Nevada for three years. Sessions ranks second in career assists at Nevada with 478...
, Ryan Hollins
Ryan Hollins
Ryan Kenwood Hollins is an American professional basketball player who is currently a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. He is a 7-foot center who played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins.-High school:...
, and a future draft pick. Minnesota waived West shortly after acquiring him. On September 1, 2010, the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
signed West to a one-year contract to backup Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a...
as a point guard. West was suspended for the first ten games of the 2010-11 season following a guilty plea to weapons charges in Maryland.
For his 2010-11 season, West finished with 5.6 points per game, 0.8 steals per game, and 2.7 assists per game. He also shot .867 from the free throw line.
Legal problems
On September 17, 2009 West was pulled over for a traffic violation while riding a 3-wheeled motorcycle. During this stop it was found that West had a 9mm Beretta pistolBeretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
, .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
and a Remington 870
Remington 870
The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.-Development:The Remington 870 was...
in a guitar case. He was arrested and had a court appearance on November 20. His trial was scheduled to be heard on February 18, 2010, but was postponed until July 21, 2010. West pleaded guilty to the traffic and weapons charges and was sentenced to electronic monitoring, unsupervised probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
, and 40 hours of community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
as well as psychological counseling.
Personal life
West is of African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Piscataway Indian
Piscataway (tribe)
The Piscataway are a subtribe of the Conoy Native American tribe of Maryland. At one time, they were one of the most populous and powerful Native polities of the Chesapeake Bay region. They spoke Algonquian Piscataway, a dialect of Nanticoke...
descent.
Career transactions
- June 24, 2004: Drafted 24th overall by Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 2004 NBA Draft2004 NBA DraftThe 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
. - June 28, 2007: Traded by Boston along with Wally SzczerbiakWally SzczerbiakWalter Robert "Wally" Szczerbiak is an American former professional basketball player.-Early life:Szczerbiak was born in Madrid, Spain, while his father Walter was playing for Real Madrid, and spent much of his childhood in Europe during his father's playing career...
and draft rights of 5th pick Jeff GreenJeff Green (basketball)Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft...
to the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
for Ray AllenRay AllenWalter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
and draft rights of 35th pick Glen DavisGlen Davis (basketball)Ronald Glen Davis , commonly known as Glen Davis and by his nickname Big Baby, is an American basketball player who last played for the NBA's Boston Celtics...
. - February 21, 2008: Traded by Seattle to the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
as part of three-team deal (Cleveland also acquired Ben WallaceBen WallaceBen Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
, Joe Smith and a future second-round draft pick from Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Wally Szczerbiak from Seattle; Chicago acquired Larry HughesLarry HughesLarry Darnell Hughes is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Bobcats. He is a and shooting guard. Hughes attended Saint Louis University and was the eight pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers...
, Drew GoodenDrew GoodenAndrew Melvin "Drew" Gooden is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. Gooden is a 6'10", 250 lbs...
, Cedric SimmonsCedric SimmonsCedric Simmons is an American professional basketball player for the Asefa Estudiantes of the Liga ACB. A 6'10",...
and Shannon BrownShannon BrownShannon Brown is an American professional basketball player who plays at the shooting guard and point guard positions. He last played in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr...
from Cleveland; Seattle acquired Ira NewbleIra NewbleIra Newble is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, the Atlanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Los Angeles Lakers.-College career:After graduating from Southfield...
and Donyell MarshallDonyell MarshallDonyell Lamar Marshall is a retired American professional basketball player, at the small forward and power forward positions. During his extensive NBA career, he played with eight different teams...
from Cleveland and Adrian GriffinAdrian GriffinAdrian Darnell Griffin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1999 to 2008.-College career:Griffin attended Seton Hall University and was a three-year starter...
from Chicago). - July 26, 2010: Traded by Cleveland to the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
along with Sebastian TelfairSebastian TelfairSebastian Telfair is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Telfair was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Abraham Lincoln High School...
, in exchange for Ramon SessionsRamon SessionsRamon Sessions is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was drafted by Milwaukee with the 56th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Sessions played collegiately at the University of Nevada for three years. Sessions ranks second in career assists at Nevada with 478...
, Ryan HollinsRyan HollinsRyan Kenwood Hollins is an American professional basketball player who is currently a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. He is a 7-foot center who played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins.-High school:...
, and a second round draft pick in the 2013 NBA draft. - August 3, 2010: Waived by Minnesota.
- September 1, 2010: Signed by Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 39 || 7 || 13.0 || .426 || .358 || .704 || 1.7 || 1.4 || .5 || .2 || 4.5
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Boston
| 71 || 71 || 34.1 || .487 || .385 || .851 || 4.1 || 4.6 || 1.2 || .6 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Boston
| 69 || 47 || 32.2 || .427 || .365 || .853 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 1.1 || .5 || 12.2
|-
| align="right" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 35 || 5 || 20.8 || .388 || .339 || .667 || 2.7 || 3.2 || .9 || .3 || 6.8
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
| 26 || 26 || 31.0 || .440 || .367 || .788 || 3.7 || 4.5 || 1.1 || .7 || 10.3
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 64 || 64 || 33.6 || .457 || .399 || .833 || 3.2 || 3.5 || 1.5|| .2 || 11.7
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 60 || 3 || 25.0 || .445 || .325 || .810 || 2.8 || 3.3 || 0.9|| .5 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 24 || 2 || 18.9 || .458 || .364 || .867 || 1.5 || 2.7 || 0.8 || .4 || 5.6
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 388 || 225 || 27.8 || .447 || .373 || .819 || 3.0 || 3.6 || 1.0 || .4 || 9.7
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 7 || 3 || 16.4 || .524 || .455 || .500 || 1.3 || .6 || 1.0 || .1 || 4.1
|-
| align="left" | 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
| 13 || 13 || 34.8 || .400 || .429 || .854 || 3.3 || 4.2 || 1.1 || .5 || 10.8
|-
| align="left" | 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 14 || 14 || 42.2 || .465 || .333 || .833 || 3.5 || 4.1 || 1.4 || .5 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 11 || 0 || 24.5 || .418 || .158 || .938 || 1.9 || 2.6 || .8 ||.9 || 6.7
|-
| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Boston
| 9 || 0 || 18.9 || .468 || .368 || .800 || 1.9 || 1.3 || .6 || .0 || 6.6
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 54 || 30 || 29.6 || .443 || .354 || .841 || 2.6 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .3 || 9.2