Early Saturday morning, Lamar Odom, two-time NBA champion and former Los Angeles Lakers player, was arrested in Las Vegas for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), according to reports from various media outlets. The 46-year-old former athlete remains in custody while the case is being investigated.
Odom made his NBA debut with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1999-2000 season, where he spent four campaigns before moving to the Miami Heat in 2003-2004 and later to the Lakers, before closing out his career with Dallas and the Clippers in the 2012-2013 season.
During that time, he played in 961 games and scored 12,781 points in the regular season. His average playing time was 33.4 minutes per game.
Other charges against Lamar Odom
In addition to the DUI charge, Odom faces two additional infractions: speeding more than 40 mph over the limit and making an improper lane change. Authorities confirmed that the arrest occurred in the early hours of January 17.
This new episode revives the ghosts of the past for the former player, who had already been detained for the same reason in 2013. His history of problems with addiction is widely known.
In 2015, Odom was on the verge of death after an overdose at a Nevada brothel. “It was incredibly difficult,” his ex-wife Khloé Kardashian recalled at the time, as she remained by his side during his hospitalization. “You can never be prepared for something like that, but thanks to the prayers and support, I was able to endure,” the television star admitted.
Odom, who won two rings with the Lakers and was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2011, earned more than 114 million dollars during his professional career. However, his personal life has been marked by scandals, infidelities, and drug use.
“I had an addiction and I knew it always got worse in the offseason, because free time is the devil’s playground,” Khloé revealed in a recent interview about the reasons that led her to divorce the player in 2016, three years after he left the court.
In recent years, the former player had tried to rebuild his life, committing to sobriety and opening rehabilitation centers to help others. He even offered support to figures such as Bam Margera, battling his own demons while becoming a mentor.
This Saturday’s arrest represents a new blow for Odom, who seemed to have left his problems behind.
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