Imago
Lakers teammates (from right) Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Luke Walton congratulate Shannon Brown after he made a key basket against the Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. (Los Angeles Times)
Imago
Lakers teammates (from right) Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Luke Walton congratulate Shannon Brown after he made a key basket against the Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. (Los Angeles Times)
Imago
Lakers teammates (from right) Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Luke Walton congratulate Shannon Brown after he made a key basket against the Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. (Los Angeles Times)
Imago
Lakers teammates (from right) Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Luke Walton congratulate Shannon Brown after he made a key basket against the Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. (Los Angeles Times)
Despite winning two championships alongside Kobe Bryant, life hasn’t been easy for a former Lakers star. Constant run-ins with the law and addiction to various substances hindered Lamar Odom. However, battling through his issues, the 46-year-old opened up about his near-death experiences.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
In a recent interview on the “Cousins” podcast with NBA Hall of Famers Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, Odom was emotional, recalling his struggles.”There were like 3 or 4 times when my family got called into the hospital room to say, ‘Y’all might want to say your final goodbyes. He’s on his fourth stroke.’ Medically, I have every reason not to be here. When I woke up, I couldn’t talk. I’m in Cedars-Sinai. They have to change my Pampers every third or fourth hour.”
In 2015, shortly after Lamar Odom and ex- Khloé Kardashian filed for divorce, the former Lakers star suffered a stroke due to overuse of drugs. Kardashian postponed her divorce and stayed by Odom’s side throughout his healing process and took care of him after his “overdose.” They did divorce because Odom would follow the same lifestyle, and Kardashian even stated that her ex’s survival was a miracle.
Lamar Odom opens all the way up about his struggles with addiction:
“There were like 3 or 4 times when my family got called into the hospital room to say, ‘Y’all might want to say your final goodbyes. He’s on his fourth stroke.’ … Medically, I have every reason not to be… pic.twitter.com/sd51lVrkAF
— Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) February 25, 2026
“When he started using again after such a horrific accident, where he, in my opinion, is a miracle that he is alive today.”
Getting rid of his addiction was a huge change. On the same Cousins podcast, Lamar Odom even stated, “To keep it real with you, I loved drugs. You’re talking to a real addict. I want to sniff c—–e. Summertime, I did drugs,” Odom further added. “I had some great cocaine summers.” But it’s been two years since the former Lakers star last used c—–e.
Odom, even with a somber voice, reflected that he was attending NA meetings. Those helped him understand his story through other people’s experiences, and even called it “humbling.”
Lamar Odom was in rehab for the last month
The 2x NBA champion was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with driving under the influence in the early hours of Saturday, January 17. In addition to the DUI charge, Odom was cited for two additional traffic violations: driving more than 41 MPH over the speed limit and improper lane change/failure to maintain lane. The cops revealed that there was an “overwhelming odor of Marijuana emanating from the vehicle.”
According to TMZ, Odom entered the program at iRely Recovery in an effort to address marijuana concerns, which could have led to relapse into harder drugs. His manager, Gina Rodriguez, stated that the former Lakers star decided to seek treatment following the arrest. Lamar Odom even completed his 30-day rehab program after his DUI arrest.
His DUI case in Nevada remains pending. But Odom is now focusing on new business plans following his release from rehab.