Via:Thisis50
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West pleaded guilty Thursday to weapons charges.
In Prince George’s County Circuit Court, Judge Graydon McKee sentenced West to eight months of electronic monitoring, two years of unsupervised probation, 40 hours of community service and psychological counseling.
Accompanied by his mother, girlfriend and uncle in court, West told Judge McKee he was ashamed.
He said he has been “put on a pedestal” because he can “dribble a basketball,” and worries about letting down youth who look up to athletes.
Authorities said the basketball player was carrying two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and an 8 1/2-inch Bowie knifewhile speeding on a three-wheel motorcycle on the Capital Beltway last September. Police said West, who lives in Brandywine, Md., was pulled over after cutting off an officer.
West’s attorney said the player had the weapons because he was transporting them from one home to another that he owns in the county, after his mother ordered him to remove them from one property.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said in an e-mailed statement that the league would “review the court’s decision before making any disciplinary decisions.”
West, 26, has been a productive player during his two-plus seasons with Cleveland, but the past year has been a difficult one for him and the team.
Following his arrest on the weapons charges last September, West reported to the Cavs’ training camp on time but missed the team’s first four practices without an excuse. He returned but then left the team for a week to deal with personal matters. In October, his wife filed a domestic violence report against him.
Other than a brief question-and-answer session last year, West did not speak to reporters all season. The Cavs were proactive in helping West, who has battled bipolar disorder for years. He was often seen talking with a team psychologist following practices.
It’s still possible the team could waive West, acquired in a 2008 trade.
