Lamar Odom and Los Angeles go way back—and not just because of basketball. From his whirlwind 2009 wedding to Khloé Kardashian at a private Beverly Hills estate packed with A-listers like Kobe Bryant and Ryan Seacrest to later being spotted shopping for a luxury watch fresh out of rehab, Beverly Hills has been more than just a backdrop—it’s been part of his story. For better or worse, Odom’s name has stayed tied to LA’s spotlight.

That connection goes beyond tabloid moments. Lamar Odom had a career packed with highlights—14 NBA seasons with four teams, including the Lakers and Clippers, right in the heart of LA. He snagged two championships, a Sixth Man of the Year award, and posted nearly 13 points and 8 rebounds a game. But while the basketball side of his story was gold, life off the court wasn’t always so smooth. Now, after surviving some serious lows, Odom’s on a mission to help others avoid the mistakes he made when he was young, gifted, and learning the hard way.

And sometimes, that mission shows up in the most unexpected places. A chance run-in on the sunlit sidewalks of Beverly Hills turned into a surprise heart-to-heart when a photographer-slash-influencer spotted Lamar Odom strolling by. Caught a little off-guard, Lamar initially brushed it off politely, saying he was in a rush, the young creator shared. But a few minutes later, the former NBA champ circled back and decided to share a few real gems from his journey. He dropped some true gold on what it really takes to be successful.

“Well that’s easy,” Lamar began. “Love your family, don’t do d— and save your money.” He didn’t sugarcoat the grind either. “Try to do what you love. Just keeping doing it, keep going, keep going, till you reach the goal that you wanna and just learning. I can’t tell you how to learn or where you’re going to learn from, but in life you’re gonna learn—and rejection is part of learning life.” It was raw, real, and exactly the kind of wisdom you don’t expect to hear in a casual street chat.

But Lamar Odom’s been through enough to know exactly where those words come from. Born in Queens, New York, Lamar lost his mother to cancer at just 12 years old and grew up with a father who struggled with d–g addiction. That pain never left him. Basketball became his escape, but as his fame and fortune grew—so did his demons. “If they asked me how much I spent on d—, I would say about $100 million,” he once revealed. At the height of his addiction, he admitted, “I used c—- every day. More or less, every second of my free time. I couldn’t control myself. I didn’t want to check it.”

His spiral reached a breaking point in 2015 when he was found unconscious at the Love Ranch brothel in Nevada after a binge that lasted three days. The scene was tragic—he had consumed a mix of s– stimulants and c——-, spent just $75, and ended up in a coma with six heart attacks. Doctors called it a miracle that he survived. Odom later confessed, “D—- probably influenced me to finish my career faster, because it killed my desire to train, to keep in shape. I’m an addicted man.” But since getting sober in 2019, his mission has changed. “Now my mission is probably to help people who have the same problem,” he said. “It’s important for people to really understand and educate themselves.”

Why was Lamar Odom asked to vacate his LA home?

Lamar Odom might have a reported net worth of $30 million in 2025 (per ClutchPoints), but money troubles are still knocking at his door—literally. The former NBA star is facing legal heat after allegedly skipping out on three months of rent for a luxury Studio City home in Los Angeles. According to a lawsuit filed by Executive Recovery Group, Inc., Odom had agreed to pay $15,000 a month starting in December 2024 under a casual, month-to-month deal. But come January 2025, the payments reportedly stopped—and by March, he was $45,000 deep in unpaid rent.

Even after receiving multiple notices—including one physically posted on March 11 giving Odom three days to pay or vacate—the ex-Laker didn’t respond, prompting the landlord to take legal action. The rent demand letter clearly stated: “If you fail to perform or otherwise comply, Landlord declares the forfeiture of the lease or rental agreement under which you occupy said premises.” After finding no one “of suitable age or discretion” at the home, Executive Recovery Group also mailed a copy of the notice the following day. The lawsuit later included an “election of forfeiture,” dated March 17, confirming that the lease had officially been terminated. When Odom failed to appear or respond in court, a judge on April 28 ruled in favor of the sublessor, granting them possession of the property.

Adding another layer to the situation? The home is reportedly tied to Montare Behavioral Health’s ‘Montare on the Hill’, a residential mental health facility, with rent payments directed to Montage Recovery CA LLC c/o Elliott Liebhard. While Odom has remained sober since his highly publicized 2015 overdose and recently launched a meme coin called $ODOM—which he described as “the world’s first Meme coin with a mission to combat d— abuse”—this legal dispute casts a shadow on that otherwise clean and redemptive image.