NBA champion Lamar Odom has checked out of rehab in Los Angeles after completing a 30-day treatment program, the Daily Mail has confirmed.
The 46-year-old New York native recently entered the program at iRely Recovery following a DUI arrest. Odom insisted that neither alcohol nor narcotics contributed to his arrest, but police say his car smelled of marijuana and he admitted to smoking earlier that day. He was detained on suspicion of DUI and a count of driving more than 100mph.
His manager, Gina Rodriguez, told TMZ he is trying to shake his marijuana use over concerns it could lead him back to harder drugs.
Odom discussed his problem with drugs during a recent podcast interview with retired NBA stars and distant cousins, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
‘Where do you think you went off [the] rails with your decision making?’ McGrady asked Odom on a recent episode of ‘Cousins.’
Odom told the All-Star hosts his issues began with marijuana at age 14, which is shortly after his mother died.
NBA champion Lamar Odom has checked out of rehab in Los Angeles after completing a 30-day treatment program, the Daily Mail has confirmed
‘My father was a heroin addict,’ Odom said. ‘If you start with pot and it doesn’t get [you] high no more, you’re like “maybe I’ll try cocaine.”
‘My mom died when I was 12 years old,’ he continued. ‘So when your moms die and you’re in New York City, [it’s tough].
‘Good thing I was protected by my neighborhood. They lived in the same neighborhood since 1957 so I don’t think nobody would let me turn to drugs or shootin’ a gun but you’re gonna explore when you don’t have your mom anymore.’
Odom, a high school phenom growing up in Queens, went on to say he could have been a Hall of Famer had he not battled addiction problems — issues that grew worse when he was out of the game.
‘2015 is when it happened,’ Odom said. ‘I’ll keep it real with you, I loved drugs. You’re talking to a real addict. I sniffed cocaine. If I ain’t gotta play ball, I don’t have any responsibilities.’
Odom said he would avoid cocaine during the season, but would go hard after the playoffs.
‘I had some great cocaine summers though,’ he said. ‘That was my way of beating the system. Just partying hard during the summer time.’
Odom won a pair of NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, but later battled drug issues
It was in 2015 that Odom had a serious medical episode at a Nevada brothel, ultimately suffering kidney failure, several heart attacks, and 12 strokes. He was later placed on life support before pulling through.
Odom continues to claim he was poisoned at the brothel. And although he previously admitted to using cocaine in the days prior to the medical episode, he told Carter and McGrady he wasn’t on drugs that day.
‘I remember because I was mad as f***,’ Odom said. ‘I didn’t have any cocaine. I just signed divorce papers with my wife [Khloe Kardashian].’
Odom remembers sitting down beside a bed and claims the next thing he can recall was waking up days later.
‘I woke up three days later, man,’ Odom said. ‘That’s all I remember.’
Odom is now working with HealLO.co, a wellness app, according to TMZ.