Lamar Odom is looking to get his 2017 off to a much better start than what the last two years have been for him. The former Sixth Man of the Year award winner has been battling personal demons since his near death experience at a brothel in 2015.
He spent 2016 looking to bounce back and possibly make an NBA comeback but those plans were halted. Over the summer, his friends were worried he was back on drugs and he apparently left a family intervention and things didn’t look well. He ended the year in a rehab facility.
Now that he’s checked out of rehab, Odom is looking to get back into the NBA but not as a player. He wants to come back and be a coach on the Los Angeles Lakers. He won two NBA championships with the Lakers alongside Luke Walton and Odom contacted the current Lakers coach about possibly helping out.
Odom said the following to TMZ Sports.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News says Luke did talk to Odom.
Luke Walton confirmed Lamar Odom reached out to him about helping staff. Luke sounded interested but understandably mindful of his recovery
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 11, 2017
When guys leave the NBA, especially someone like Odom who left the NBA following two unsuccessful stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, there is always some itch to get back on the floor. Joining the staff in any capacity could be an excellent way to get Odom back in the flow of things and help get his mind on track.
