Lamar Odom

Lamar Joseph Odom ( born November 6, 1979 in Queens, New York City ) is an American professional basketball player. He is 2.08 m tall, weighs about 104 kg, and is left-handed. He played 1999-2013 in the NBA.

Career

Early years

Odom was born in South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York. His biological father was a drug addict and his mother died when Lamar was twelve years old. He was raised by his grandmother Mildred. He spent three years at the Christ The King Regional High School in Middle Village, New York, before moving to the Redemption Academy in Troy, New York and from there to the St. Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Connecticut. In 1997 he was appointed the Parade Magazine Player of the Year and as a senior he was elected team in the USA Today All- USA First.

Odom opted in 1997 for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas ( UNLV ). According to the rules of the NCAA, it is forbidden universities to compensate for their basketball players financially for their services. When it emerged that Odom had, however, obtained from a University representative money, the coach of the team, Bill Bayno was dismissed, the university was four years only permitted on probation in the NCAA and Odom then moved to the University of Rhode Iceland, had but the season 1997/98 expose. Odom played one season for his new university team.

Los Angeles Clippers (1999 to 2003)

Odom was selected as part of the NBA Drafts 1999 with the fourth overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers. In his first season he scored 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game and All- Rookie First Team in 2000 was elected into the NBA.

In November 2001, he has been banned from the NBA because of twofold violation of the anti-drug agreement for eight games. His point and rebound average fell in the following two seasons and he was taken in the summer of 2003 as a so-called restricted free agent by the Miami Heat under contract.

Miami Heat (2003 to 2004)

Lamar Odom was in the same year in which Dwyane Wade was drafted by the Miami Heat, part of the team. Odom was his performance on the field to 17.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game and led his team to increase along with Wade in the playoffs. That year he also played for the basketball team of the United States in the Summer Olympics and won with the team the bronze medal.

Los Angeles Lakers (2004 to 2011)

Odom was released along with Caron Butler and Brian Grant in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first year Odom suffered a serious shoulder injury and had to sit the final third of the season. The Lakers missed the playoffs after this season, bringing their former coach Phil Jackson back into the boat.

The following NBA season, his performance was on the field contains anything other than constant, but he improved steadily. He was able to achieve a triple -double in two consecutive games. In the playoffs, the Lakers were eliminated, however, after seven games in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. In the 2006/07 season Odom struggled again with injury, and in the playoffs, the Lakers were eliminated another year in a row by the Suns. The NBA season 2007/ 08 had some surprises for Odom ready: The Lakers secured the services of Pau Gasol, young center Andrew Bynum sat out with a knee injury and thus Odom was very versatile. The team reached the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics had to document, however, admit defeat.

In the 2008 / 09 season, Odom was shipped on the bench and one used as a so-called sixth. He was brought to the playing field for Gasol and / or Bynum. When Bynum was injured again in January 2009, Odom was brought back into the starting lineup. After Bynum's return in April Odom was brought back from the bank into play. At the end of the season he could look back on 11.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steal per game. This season, Odom was able to win with the Lakers his first NBA championship. After the season, he extended his contract by four years with a total value of $ 33 million with the Lakers. The following season, 2009/10, the Lakers and Lamar Odom were able to secure the championship again. In the 2010/11 season Odom received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and was most valuable player of the season, which runs not in the starting five of his team. He is the first Lakers player to have managed.

Dallas Mavericks (2011-2012)

The Dallas Mavericks announced on 10 December 2011 that Odom will change for the new season for the reigning champions from Texas. At the beginning of the season he brought poor performance after he lost his cousin in the offseason and also sat in a car that ran over a teenager. Therefore, he originally wanted to take a break. On 2 March 2012 he was sent by the Mavs to the Texas Legends, however, brought back only a day later. In early April 2012, separated the Mavericks of Odom, but without dismissing him.

Back to the Los Angeles Clippers (2012-2013)

On 29 June it was officially confirmed that Odom will return to the Clippers. He was transferred in the course of a trade between the Clippers, Jazz, Rockets and Mavs to Los Angeles. The Clippers Odom could not meet the expectations set. With 4.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, he played the weakest season of his career.

Move to Spain ( 2014)

After the season, Odom was Free Agent. Although there was interest between the Clippers and Odom to further collaboration, there was no agreement. On February 18, 2014 Odom signed a contract with the Spanish side Laboral Kuxta. He played only two games for the club before he was fired.

Private life

• Odom had three children, two sons and a daughter. His daughter was born in 1998 and his son in 2002. His second son, who was born in December 2005, drowned on 28 June 2006 at the age of six months in his bed.

• Odom is known for his fondness for sweets. Wrigley created for him a duplicate of the NBA championship trophy, which consisted only of sweets after the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in 2009.

• After just four weeks relationship Odom married 27 September 2009 Khloé Kardashian.

• On August 30, 2013 Odom was arrested early in the morning for driving under the influence of psychoactive substances and released on the same day position of U.S. $ 15,000 bail.