The Curious Case Of Lamar Odom
Sometimes you hear a story and because it's so out of left field, the impact it has on you lasts longer than it has any reason to.
When I heard earlier that former Laker and current free agent swingman Lamar Odom (also of "Khloe & Lamar" fame) has been missing for 3 days after being kicked out by Khloe Kardashian, I was shocked.
However, and unfortunately, that only scratches the surface of the issue at hand.
Reports have begun surfacing that Odom has been addicted to crack cocaine for years and his increasing use of the drug has put a strain on his marriage, culminating in his being kicked out after refusing the help of an intervention.
It sounds insane and it seems odd that it could've been kept under wraps this long due to Odom's involvement in the massive Kardashian publicity machine but the timeline does make a little sense.
(* Note: The following is purely speculative, we at HefferBrew wish nothing but the best for Odom, like everyone else we're just trying to understand as much as possible.)
He's apparently been into heavy drug use the last few years, likely caused by the much-publicized and unceremonious end to his stint with the LA Lakers; the team he won two championships with and was reigning 6th Man of the Year.
After being used as trade-bait in the league-vetoed trade the Lakers tried to pull for Chris Paul, Odom demanded a trade which sent him to Dallas for a lackluster year that culminated in him being demoted to the D-Leage.
Last year he played in LA, for the Clippers and despite showing occasional flashes of his old ability, he largely seemed out of game-shape and frankly, uninterested.
What makes this so shocking is Odom is normally viewed as the laid-back and calm one, content with eating candy and hanging out. Despite the public image he has, he has also had to endure tremendous personal tragedies. In 2006 he lost his 6 month old son to SIDS. In 2011 during the NBA offseason, he was in a car accident that claimed the life of a child on a bicycle who was hit by the vehicle Odom was driving in and his issues with reconciling with his estranged father have been well documented on the numerous Kardashian shows.
The last few years of his professional career have also been extremely trying and extensively documented. It's true that in professional sports, players should always be prepared should they be traded but after helping the team to back-to-back titles and winning 6th Man of the Year, I can imagine he felt a bit betrayed (as a Lakers fan I know that most of us were upset at the nature of his departure.)
Only time will tell how this will all end but hopefully Odom finds the help he needs.
Again, we here at HefferBrew hope that wherever he is and above all else that Lamar Odom is safe.
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