OP-ED
Former NBA player Lamar Odom was
a basketball star for Christ the King
In conjunction with the
Greater Astoria Historical Society,
TimesLedger Newspapers
presents noteworthy events in the
borough’s history.
Born on Nov. 6, 1979 in South
Jamaica, Lamar Odom is a former
professional basketball
forward. He won two NBA titles
with the Los Angeles Lakers in
2009 and 2010, and was the NBA
Sixth Man of the Year in 2011.
In addition to the NBA, he also
won a bronze medal with the US
national team in the 2004 Olympics
in Athens.
Odom also gained fame
for his marriage to celebrity
Khloé Kardashian and their
appearance on the television
programs “Keeping Up With
The Kardashians” and “Khloé
& Lamar.”
The future basketball star
was born into adverse circumstances.
His father was a drug
addict and his mother died of
cancer when Odom was only 12.
Afterwards, the young man was
raised by his maternal grandmother.
He was a hoops standout
at Christ the King Regional
High School and at a now-closed
high school in Connecticut.
As a high school senior in
1997, the lanky 6’10” forward
was named Parade Player of
the Year and earned USA Today
All-USA First Team honors.
As a schoolboy, Odom also
played on the same AAU team
as future NBA teammates Elton
Brand and Ron Artest, also
from Queens.
The Queens native played
one season of college ball at
the University of Rhode Island,
earning Atlantic 10 all-conference
honors before declaring
his eligibility for the 1999 NBA
draft. The Los Angeles Clippers
selected Lamar Odom fourth
overall, and in his first year,
Odom was named to the NBA
All-Rookie Team.
Odom ran into trouble off
court, however, as he was suspended
twice during his four
years with the Clippers for
violating the league’s anti-drug
policy. The restricted free agent
then played with the Miami
Heat in the 2003-04 season before
going back to LA in a trade
to play with the Lakers. During
his seven-season stint with the
Lakers, Odom won two NBA
titles and was recognized as
the NBA Sixth Man of the Year
as the best player in the league
coming off the bench. The hardwood
star then spent a season
with the Dallas Mavericks and
ended his NBA career where it
started with the LA Clippers.
Lamar Odom had three children
with his first wife, Liza Morales,
before they separated. In
2006, his infant son Jayden died
tragically from sudden infant
death syndrome. While playing
for the Lakers, Odom met and
soon married TV star Khloé
Kardashian in 2009. He soon
became a regular on the E! reality
show “Keeping Up with the
Kardashians” before the couple
starred in their own spinoff series,
“Khloé & Lamar.”
After leaving the NBA, however,
the bright lights dimmed
and Odom’s demons soon
caught up with him. In 2013, he
was arrested for driving under
the influence of alcohol. In 2015,
the retired hardwood star was
found unresponsive after using
cocaine and nearly died.
Although now divorced from
Kardashian, Odom began to
speak publicly about his battles
with drug addiction and recovery.
He acknowledges that his
drug use may have ended his
basketball career too soon, but
considers himself a “walking
miracle” and looks forward
to starting a new career as a
motivational speaker.
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