Lamar Odom’s NBA Comeback: How His Demons Got In The Way

Lamar Odom was trying to make a comeback as the NBA star he once was, but his demons got the worst of him. A new report reveals that the former basketball star had been working hard to get back on the court just weeks before his alleged overdose.

Lamar Odom was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel earlier this week. He was then taken to a local hospital until he was transferred to the Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. Odom’s estranged wife Khloe Kardashian hasn’t left his side, along with her family and his ex-wife and children.

According to a new report, Lamar was hoping to make a big NBA comeback in the coming weeks ahead. Instead, he was found lying unconscious at the Las Vegas brothel on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Not only was Lamar hoping to be given the chance to play again, but he was reportedly reaching out to coaches, expressing his desires to get signed by a team — any team, for that matter. Lamar just knew that he wanted to play b-ball again.

In fact, Odom was desperate to make a career comeback, but it looks like no one was giving him a chance. Before his health scare, he was even willing to “be in a more healthy place” in preparation for another chance to play on the basketball court, according to E! News journalist Ken Baker.

“I did an interview with former coach of his, Gary Charles, and he said that Lamar approached him, he wanted to train with him, and he said he wanted to get back personally and professionally.”

The video below shows that there is a chance that Lamar could play professional basketball if he gets back on his feet. If this moment is his “rock bottom,” then it could be the inspiration and motivation he needs to get his life together and become the superstar athlete he once was. An inside source also told the entertainment channel that Lamar was serious about playing basketball, and was even committed to training.

“He seemed pretty serious about training to get a pro tryout. He had trainers with him and was working on his shot. He was also working on his cardio on the Stairmaster. He looked good.”

ENews: Was Lamar Odom planning on returning to the basketball court? Tune in at 5pm on E! for more on the story. https://t.co/5Y3Yi8FdTN

— E! News (@ENews) October 17, 2015

The insider told E! News that Odom started going to the gym in late September in preparation for the NBA teams’ training camps. Odom’s trainer, Fareer Samad, spoke to TMZ about why he made the move back to Las Vegas.

“He moved here because of [pro boxer] Zab Judah, and Zab Judah told him to come here and train with me if he wanted to like, you know, like make his way back to the NBA.”

He even went to say that Lamar Odom was physically in tip-top shape for the training camp. But of course his mental demons got the best of him before he could even train.

“Physically, he was doing OK. He was down 35 pounds. He would take, you know, like hiatuses once in a while. It’s more mental than physical with him.”

TMZ even shared a video of Lamar and Fareer training. The trainer said that they would even watch videos of New York Knicks during the NBA training camp, which “motivated him to get into better shape.”

So, what happened to Lamar Odom? That’s a question that CNN’s Roxanne Jones answered in her feature. Odom was first drafted by the NBA in 1999. By 2000, there were already rumors that he loved to smoke marijuana and partake in other drugs. As the rumors continue to circulate, Odom was fined by the NBA for abusing the drug policy twice during his first four seasons.

As Lamar bounced from team to team over the years, his life continued to spiral and his addiction to drugs continued to surface. Even his four-year marriage to Khloe Kardashian wasn’t enough to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Despite the reports that claim Odom showed signs of improvement on Friday, he still remains in critical condition. It’s still unclear if Odom will suffer from brain damage, or if he will have a long recovery ahead of him. If the reports are accurate, then it’s highly likely. Also, his NBA dreams may be shattered.

There is a chance that Khloe and Lamar may get back together in the future. If he can make a comeback with his health and/or career, then he could win back the love of his life. As previously reported via the Inquisitr, Khloe is considering calling off the divorce, but at this moment, she’s more concerned about his well-being rather than their complicated marriage.

What are your thoughts on Lamar Odom? Do you think he’ll return to the NBA one day? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

[Photo Courtesy of Canada Hky via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and Resized | CC BY-SA 2.0]