Life in L.A.
Lamar Odom returned back to Los Angeles, but this time he would wear “Lakers” across his chest. At that point, the Lakers were rebuilding after the Kobe-Shaq era had ended. Odom was not the most talked about player in the trade, instead it was forward Caron Butler. Just like in Miami were Odom backed up Dwayne Wade, he had to back up Kobe Bryant and Caron Butler in Los Angeles.
Lamar Odom continued to stuff the stats with the Lakers, despite the fact that the Lakers were not a title contender. Odom played hard every game, and he was arguably the second best player on the team.
As the years moved on, the Lakers became championship contenders and Odom became a better player. In the previous two titles, Odom played a crucial role for the Lakers off the bench. The Lakers would not have won the championships if it were not for the versatility of Lamar Odom.
Odom is currently in his seventh season with the Lakers and he has averaged nearly 14 ppg, 8.9 rpg and 3.8 apg.
There have been many seasons in which Lamar Odom has put up All-Star numbers, but was selected as a participant. And this season is no different.
The first All-Star returns came in a few days ago, and once again Odom is not one of the leading vote getters. Despite his unforgettable plays and his stellar stats, Lamar Odom never gets enough recognition for his efforts.
The only thing missing from Odom’s career is an All-Star jersey with his name across the back.