Former NBA guard Delonte West reignited a decade-old sports rumor regarding his relationship with LeBron James’ mother, Gloria James, during a recent media appearance in Miami. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday for streamer Adin Ross’ Brand Risk 16 event, West was directly asked by comedian Supa Hot Fire whether he ever had a sexual relationship with Gloria James. Rather than issuing a direct denial, West cheekily replied that a gentleman never tells, bringing back into public discussion one of the most persistent viral rumors from modern basketball culture.
Former Teammate Fuels Rumors Involving LeBron James’s Mother
The unsubstantiated rumor originally surfaced during the 2010 NBA postseason while West and James were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland entered the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference before suffering an unexpected second-round elimination against the Boston Celtics, which fueled intense internet speculation regarding off-court team dynamics. It has never been confirmed who started the rumor, and West explicitly denied the claims in a 2012 interview with Basketball Network, stating that something like that never happened. More recently, during an August interview with streamer N3on, West expressed gratitude toward the James family, revealing that both LeBron and Gloria reached out to check on his mother during a difficult period in his personal life.
Selected with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft out of Saint Joseph’s, West spent eight seasons in the league playing for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks. Since his professional basketball career concluded, West has faced severe personal and mental health challenges. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008, he drew public support in 2020 after viral videos showed him panhandling in Dallas, leading former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to step in and assist him with entering a Texas rehabilitation facility. Despite reports of subsequent relapses and arrests in the years following, West shared a positive update in March, announcing he had reached 100 days of sobriety while working with a wellness program in Florida.
“A gentleman never tells…”
The recent press conference comments demonstrate how long-standing NBA rumors continue to circulate across digital media and streaming platforms years after the original events took place. While West’s lighthearted response sparked fresh commentary across social media, his previous statements acknowledging the direct support of Gloria James highlight the deeper personal history between the former teammates and their families. As West continues to focus on his ongoing personal wellness and recovery in Florida, his recent public appearances continue to draw interest from fans who followed his professional basketball career
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