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A Parade Player of the Year in 1997, Lamar Odom was one of the most highly-touted basketball players in the country coming out of high school. Instead of making the leap into the NBA from high school, which was allowed then, Odom instead committed to the UNLV Rebels. A series of unfortunate events, including an arrest and NCAA revelations of receiving payments from UNLV head coach Bill Bayno, saw his scholarship revoked. Though he ultimately landed on his feet at the University of Rhode Island and won the Rams their first Atlantic 10 title in the 1998-99 season, Odom, who's become more reflective upon his past mistakes, believes he could have made a bigger impact on the sport had he chosen to attend an HBCU, while visiting the Legends Lounge with Trill Withers.
“(Recruiting interest) started my sophomore year after we on a city championship. I had scored 35 points and I think that was a record at the time. At the time it was, I don’t know if it still is, but at the time it was the record, 35 points, CHSAA. Me and Lou Alcindor held that record and I think right after that was when all the letters started coming in. I can remember my first couple letters being from Syracuse, UNLV, North Carolina, and Michigan.
“They really piled up really quick too. Really every school in the country. When I really think about it, and I really think about my power at that time I wish I would’ve been on point enough, and been woke enough to give an HBCU a visit, probably even go and change history, imagine that.”
Withers asked Odom to explain that further.
“I’m 45 years old, the importance of my platform and being a proud black man. Why not help our system?”
Odom began his professional career as the No. 4 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1999 NBA Draft. After a brief stint with the Miami Heat, Odom was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers before the 2004 season. In LA, he won two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010 and was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011.
Reflecting on Lamar Odom's impact
Joining the Lakers reshaped Odom's whole career, and playing with Kobe Bryant, along with the high standard he set, undoubtedly helped Odom take big steps forward in his career. Without having to be his team's primary scorer, he granted Odom the freedom to create on his own.
His shooting percentages climbed with the Lakers, and his all-around game improved. He had higher scoring totals with the Clippers and Heat, but his rebounds and overall efficiency exploded when he could focus his energy on a team game.
Recently, Odom appeared in an episode of MTV's Jersey Shore Family Vacation, when Ronnie Ortiz-Magro made a trip to Odom Recovery Group to speak about his rehab and recovery from addiction.
Odom founded Odom Recovery Group in 2023 and has established addiction treatment facilities throughout California.
