Lamar Odom’s life and career has taken a very tragic and sad turn. Once seen as one of the most exciting young prospects in the NBA, an NBA Sixth Man of the Year and a huge contributor for an NBA championship team Los Angeles Lakers team, Odom has sinced flamed out of the league, dealt with tons of personal loss and trauma and extreme drug addiction that almost resulted in his death in 2015.
Odom made his name as a Los Angeles Laker and in order to honor him and his career, Odom will be signing a one-day contract with the team to retire with them during training camp in the upcoming season.
Here is what he told The Vertical about how being dealt from the Lakers to the Mavericks in 2011 was the beginning of his spiral:
“That trade from the Lakers basically ended my career and purpose,” Odom told The Vertical. “I was never really myself ever again. Being in L.A., the structure, the people I knew, it hurt leaving. I had great memories with the Lakers, with Kobe and Pau. That was a special time in my life.
“I got traded the season after we lost to Dallas in the playoffs, and I had won Sixth Man of the Year for the team. To trade me after winning Sixth Man of the Year … what else do I got to do? Why?
“I think about it all the time, about how much I had left in the tank. I had issues going on. But barring injury, could I play in the NBA today? I could play. I should still be playing.”
Odom will turn 38 in November, so it is definitely in the realm of possibility that he would still be an NBA player today with his skill set.
Odom is a very emotional, honest and open person and shares a lot about his struggles in the piece on The Vertical, hopefully re-signing and retiring and the symbolism attached to it can serve as a second chance and an opportunity to truly reset his life and keep his demons at bay.
