Former NBA player arrested in Fairfax Co., charged with robbery and assault

Former NBA player Delonte West, who once played a key role on the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, has been arrested and charged with robbery and assault in Fairfax County, Virginia.

West, 42, was arrested after the reported assault and robbery on Dec. 21 around 6:40 a.m. in the 5900 block of Richmond Highway in Belle Haven.

After the alleged victim told police officers what happened, the officers found West nearby. West was taken to the Fairfax County jail, charged with robbery and simple assault and later released on a $1,000 bond.

He has a documented history of drug abuse and legal troubles. In 2024, West was arrested after a high-speed chase and was given Narcan for an assumed drug overdose.

West grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and was a star basketball player at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland.

West was a first-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and was a starter in the NBA for several seasons with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. He ended his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 2012.

He’s due back in court in March for a preliminary hearing, according to court documents, but was released on bond on Dec. 30.

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Thomas Robertson

Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

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