Biography
Lamar Odom, originally named as Lamar Joseph Odom, is a professional basketball player from New York, United States. The tall and sturdy man played for Los Angeles Lakers during his linkage with the National Basketball Association. He surfaced as a key player after winning the prestigious championships of 2010 and 2009. Odom earned the ‘NBA 6th Man of the Year’ title in 2011. The robust sportsman was born and raised in Queens, New York. He was able to enter the world of professional basketball due to his sturdy physique and enormous height.
The pro athlete began playing basketball at a very young age. In 1997, he got the ‘National Basketball Player of the Year’ title from a renowned newspaper magazine, Parade. It was no less than a huge honor for the young man. The respect and recognition at an early age boosted his confidence and helped him climb the success ladder. During his college years, he played for Rhode Island University and won several important games. He got selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with 4th overall pick in the 1st round of NBA draft 1999. This was the breakthrough that Odom longed for.
Lamar has been a two-time NBA champion in 2010 and 2009. He won the NBA 6th Man of the Year award back in 2011. In 1997, he was named the ‘Parade Player of the Year’. Other important career highlights include Parade All-American, Atlantic Ten Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Rookie First Team, and First Team All Atlantic 10. Odom has been one of the most inspiring figures from the American basketball arena. He inspired many young lads to join NBA and become professional basketball players. The star wears jersey number 7 and plays at the forward position.
Who are Lamar Odom’s Parents?
Odom was born on Nov 6, 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens (New York City), United States. He opened his eyes to father Joe Odom and mother Cathy Mercer. He suffered from family problems during his childhood. He saw his father as a heroin addict from a young age. Lamar’s beloved mother passed away due to colon cancer when he was just a 12-year old guy. She remained concerned about his son’s good upbringing. Even at the deathbed, she told Odom to be nice to every single person in life. After the death of his mother, Lamar’s maternal grandmother took the responsibility of his upbringing. Mildred Mercer, Odom’s grandmother, was a very nice lady who told the young boy to become a nice person.
He went to Christ King High School located in Middle Village, Queens and played for his school for three consecutive years. He wasn’t able to obtain good grades and that’s the reason he left his high school during the senior year. Later on, he went to the Redemption Christian Academy situated in Troy, New York. After studying for some time, he switched to St. Thomas Aquinas School located in New Britain, Connecticut. Here he started learning advanced basketball skills under the sincere leadership of coach, Jerry DeGregorio.
Basketball Career
Lamar’s professional basketball career took a ride to moon when he got selected by Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Draft 1999. He started playing vigorously after becoming an honorable member of the team. Unfortunately, he was dropped out two times for the violation of the NBA’s drug policies. Once he was found using marijuana and got suspended after he admitted his fault. He enjoyed a successful and prosperous time while being a part of the Los Angeles Clippers. He played for the team from 1999 to 2003.
In 2003, he signed a contract to become a part of Miami Heat. Odom was selected to play as power forward player in the team. The Miami heat started to play well as a team after Lamar joined Eddie Jones and Wade. He helped the Heat in winning a lot of important matches. Unfortunately, he stopped playing for Miami Heat in 2004 and joined the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent a long time playing for lakers and earned a lot of titles and awards. Soon after joining the new team, he met a dangerous shoulder injury that badly affected his left shoulder. He couldn’t play the 2004-2005 season due to health condition. He showed consistency throughout all games while being an integral part of Los Angeles Lakers.
On Dec 11, 2011, Odom got traded to another team called Dallas Mavericks. They were the defending NBA champions at that time. He faced a disrespectful attitude while being part of Dallas. Some of the controversies were published in magazines too. He couldn’t remain the member of the team and announced his separation from Mavericks on Apr 9, 2012.
After just over two months, Odom switched back to Los Angeles Clippers on Jun 29, 2012. On Feb 18, 2014, the star basketball player signed a contract with Laboral Kutxa Baskonia for the Euro League and the Spanish League. He also played for New York Knicks after signing a deal on Apr 16, 2014. He played for the season 2013-2014. However, he didn’t appear in the season finale.
Personal Life
Lamar married his long-time girlfriend, Liza Morales. The couple was blessed with three adorable children named Jamar Junior, Destiny, and Jayden. Regrettably, the six and a half-month-old Jayden died from infant death syndrome. He was sleeping in the crib when found dead in New York. The couple couldn’t remain together and parted their ways.
Odom tied the wedding knot with the famous television celebrity, Khloe Kardashian, in September 2009. Khloe didn’t feel okay with the basketball star and filed a divorce after four years of marriage. Their divorce papers were officially signed in July 2015.
Net Worth
Lamar has been an integral part of renowned teams of the National Basketball Association. He has a large fan base from different parts of the United States. The guy is now considered to be a source of inspiration for many young boys. He played for different teams including, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Laboral Kutxa Baskonia, and Dallas Mavericks. Today, he owns a massive net worth of $70 Million. He made this money from the different contract that he signed with NBA teams.
