As many of you have heard by now, Lamar Odom, ex-Los Angeles Laker and ex-husband of Khloe Kardashian was currently in a Colorado hospital, fighting for his life after being found unconscious at a brothel in Nevada. As of Tuesday, October 20, according to USA Today he's been moved to a Los Angeles hospital after making progress.
As some of you may know, a brothel is a place where prostitution is solicited. It is a place that people go to in secrecy, and it's very likely that Odom did not want his whereabouts on this tragic night publicized. It is definitely not the place Odom wanted to be caught at, but fate took an ill-twist on the night of October 13th. When Odom was hospitalized, he was in critical condition, unresponsive for three days until he reportedly woke up from his coma on Friday.
Though the most pressing concern is still Odom's health, it is clear that to some, his reputation is different from that which he wants or even deserves. Many media outlets have referred to Odom as Kardashian's ex-husband and a former reality star, two things that are facts, but do not accurately represent Odom's legacy. This is something that has drawn the ire of sports figures such as ESPN analyst Scott Van Pelt, who stated that "His name is Lamar Odom, and we knew it, long before he got married on a TV show that we don't watch." Tragically in Odom's case, he is oftentimes looked at as nothing more than the reality star that the famed Kardashian sister divorced in 2013, and not as the former NBA star beloved by his teammates and opponents alike.
He is not looked at as the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, and not as the man who was a solid contributor on four Los Angeles Clippers teams that were otherwise disappointments. He's not looked at as the guy who helped mentor Dwyane Wade in the latter's rookie season with the Miami Heat, helping mold him into the dominant NBA star that he is today. He's not remembered as the player who averaged 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, or as the man who played a vital role in the Lakers' back-to-back championship runs in 2009 and 2010.
Admittedly his career did take a decline after he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, but it was due to his love for the Lakers' organization and his dedication to the franchise. He built such a rapport with the team that he lacked the motivation to play basketball after he parted ways with the team. He made friends with Lakers great Kobe Bryant, a relationship that speaks volumes, as Kobe is not known for his friendships, but rather his hard-nosed, cold-blooded style of play on the hardwood.
Odom had a positive reputation on the teams he played for, coming to practices and games with a positive personality all the time. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak called him "the most popular player in our locker room." He was a friend of the media as well, always providing thoughtful and open responses to the press. His friendships with his teammates lasted long after he left these teams. Once it was made known to the public that Odom was hospitalized, he received an outpouring of support from his peers. Dwyane Wade, his teammate in Miami, sent his prayers: "I pray [this] morning for my brother. Dear God he's one of the good ones. PLEASE watch over him and listen to his heart speak #PrayersforLamar." Caron Butler, a teammate of Odom's in Miami and with the Lakers said, "Praying for you LO #luckylefty." The most remarkable story of friendship, however, is the actions of Kobe Bryant, who immediately left to see Odom in the hospital after the former's preseason game ended.
Instead of being known for his contributions and friendships in the basketball world, he is instead denoted as the former star of shows such as Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Khloe and Lamar. It's just a shame that one of the all-time basketball greats is being profiled in a light that doesn't represent just what he has done for the sport and the impact he's left on many of the NBA's greats.
