Addiction, overdose and on-court glory – what happened to NBA star Lamar Odom?

The style of play in today’s NBA features versatile frontcourt players who have the ability to handle the ball and make plays for their teammates. Lamar Odom was showcasing those skills at a time when 6’10” basketball players weren’t expected to do that. His versatility on the floor made him unique, but also experienced his share of trouble away from the arena. Basketball statistics were sourced from Basketball Reference.

Odom was born in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York in 1979. His childhood was not easy, as his father Joseph dealt with drug addiction after serving in the military according to Mirror UK. Lamar fondly recalled the meals that his grandmother would make him when she stepped in to assist during those difficult times.

Despite the uncertainty at home, Odom was able to put his name on the map as one of the premier basketball prospects in New York City. He attended Christ The King high school, known for its strong basketball program. He would transfer to a couple of different high schools for his final year due to poor academic performance according to Bleacher Report.

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Even though he was struggling in the classroom, college programs all over the country fawned over Odom as a basketball talent. Many thought he might play in the Big East for St. John’s or Syracuse, but Odom eventually decided to play for the Rhode Island Rams. He spent one year there, averaging over 17 points and nine rebounds per game.

The LA Clippers took Odom with the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. He would spend the first four years of his career there, putting his wide-ranging skill set on display for the league to see. Odom spent his fifth NBA season with the Miami Heat, before his life would change forever the following offseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers broke up their championship core by sending Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat in exchange for Odom and two other players. O’Neal would bring his title experience to South Beach, while Odom’s skill set would give Kobe Bryant a different type of teammate to partner with in his prime.

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After the deal, Odom would play for the Lakers for the next seven years. He would win two titles during that time frame, and would provide whatever Los Angeles needed on a given night.

Sometimes he would start, and other times he would come off the bench. Most importantly, he was usually trusted to finish the game due to his impact in multiple aspects of the game.

After a great run with the Lakers, Odom was traded to Dallas in a move that would signal the beginning of the end of his NBA career.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was dismayed about Odom’s apparent lack of commitment, and the two got into a verbal altercation during halftime of a game according to Forbes. The two sides parted ways at the end of the 2012 season.

Odom would play one more NBA season in 2013 with the Clippers, but was still front and center in pop culture circles. He was married to Khloe Kardashian from 2009-2016, which meant that his life was constantly broadcast to the masses on television.

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The pair had their relationship featured on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, but also on a spin off show focused on them.

2011 was a difficult year personally for Odom. A cousin that the NBA star was close with was murdered, which took an emotional toll. Additionally, Odom witnessed an accident as a passenger in an SUV that killed a teenager according to Daily Mail UK. Coping with the loss of young people was taxing for Odom during this stretch despite his basketball success.

As the pressure of being an NBA player, celebrity icon and trauma of personal loss mounted, Odom turned to drugs to get through it all. According to Business Insider, this was a point of contention between him and Kardashian, which strained their marriage. Odom was nearly killed in 2015 after a drug overdose at a Nevada brothel, according to People.com.

After a long stretch of being in the public eye, Odom seems to have found some peace in recent years. The former basketball player has invested time and money into the development of drug treatment centers that will help others battle the addiction he dealt with. He has said that assisting others in their fight has been inspiring and rewarding.

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Like many people, Odom was asked about the celebrity relationship involving Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Having some experience in that department, Odom advised Kelce to stay strong and stick as close by her as possible. In the same interview with The Messenger, Odom also warned Kelce about the temptations he would face.