Delonte West: Dribbling in the Dark

There are stories in basketball that don’t fit inside the box score. Delonte West’s begins

far from the bright lights — a young kid from Maryland fighting demons before he ever faced

defenders. At twelve, a broken leg kept him off the court… and let the silence

in. Hospitals. Pills. The feeling that maybe he’d already

lost. But when he held a basketball again, it was like a pulse returned.

By college, St. Joe’s gym would roar for his crossover, his fearlessness, the grin that came

alive once the game started. In 2004, the Boston Celtics called his name.

Cameras flashed, families cheered. For a few years, it was all rhythm — 31 points against