Lamar Odom

Since about sixth grade, Lamar Odom has been one of my favorite professional athletes.  I really enjoyed watching him play on TV, and I remember thinking how it was funny that he was obsessed with candy.  In his prime, he was a giant that could do just about anything in the game of basketball.

Odom did not have the easiest of childhoods.  His father was a heroin addict and was not around during his childhood, and his mother died when he was only 12 years old.  Growing up in Queens New York, basketball was a way for him to get away from the drugs and crime that surrounded him at the time.  He fell in love with the game at the age of seven, and by the time he was in high school he was one of the top young players in the country. 

Being selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 4^th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft out of the University of Rhode Island, Odom was destined to be a superstar.  He was a player known for his very unique style of play.  It is incredibly rare to find a 6 foot 10 inch forward who can handle and pass the ball like a point guard.  After spending his first four years on the Clippers and another with the Miami Heat, Odom was traded to the Lakers in a deal involving a 31 year old Shaquille O’Neal.  This was the beginning of a great relationship that would help get the Lakers two NBA Championships between 2004 and 2011.  He even made the U.S. national team in 2004.  Laker fans loved Lamar and what he brought to the Lakers, and he loved them back.

As the Lakers sought younger talent for the upcoming seasons, Odom became a prime candidate to involve in a trade.  One year after winning the NBA’s sixth man of the year award, Lamar Odom was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.  That’s just the sad part about professional sports, it’s a business, and nothing lasts forever.  Teams are looking out for what is in their best interest, and they want to put themselves in the best position possible to win games.  

Odom was not happy with the trade, but you can’t blame him for being upset.  He put his heart and soul into the Lakers.  The city showed him a lot of love, and he returned it with his play.  He had found a home in Los Angeles, and found success in one of the most legendary franchises in all of sports.  Parting ways with the city, the fans, and his team, while also starting over 1,400 miles away was extremely hard on him.  When Odom was traded to the Mavericks, his play suffered greatly.  He went from being the best sixth man in the league, to averaging about six points and four rebounds, while only shooting thirty five percent from the field, which is very low.  It was obvious that the move to Dallas had a big impact on him emotionally, and it really showed when he was on the court. 

 

Odom’s situation has not improved much over the past couple of years.  He was arrested in August for driving under the influence, and in December, his wife of four years, Khloe Kardashian, filed for divorce.  All of this took place soon after multiple reports of his drug abuse and infidelity. As of today, the 34 year old forward is a free agent and is looking to sign with a team to return to the court.  There’s no telling if he will be signed by a team, or how well he will play if he is signed.  If he comes back, I definitely hope he lands somewhere where he is happy so he can focus on his game.  Personally, I think it would be awesome if he went back to the Lakers.  The window for him to play in the league is closing, but I really hope he can end his career on a positive note.   

Zenon Parker