Former NBA player Lamar Odom has regained his 2009 and 2010 championship rings he won as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. A fan who purchased them on auction for $114,000 returned them to the ex-Lakers swingman. Odom revealed the news on his podcast, “On the LO.”
Odom revealed that he pawned the rings in order to pay for medical bills after almost dying from a drug overdose at the Love Ranch brothel in 2015.
He has a history of battling drug addiction and depression. Not only did it cost him his NBA career, but it also ruined his marriage to Khloé Kardashian. The low point was being comatose in a Las Vegas hospital for three days after being found unconscious in that brothel.
In the years since Odom released a documentary, “Lamar Odom: Reborn,” detailing his experimentation with psychedelics to treat his depression and drug addiction. He’s been very open and honest about his addictions and the depths to which he sunk and what he hopes people will learn from it.
“I had unleashed a demon,” Odom said. “Coke and sex went together every time after that. They had to intertwine. Maybe sharing my story and the moments I’m not so proud of is one of the reasons for my higher power saving me. Maybe I’m here to help other people.”
One of the realities of this neuropsychological disorder is that people who are addicts use to suppress and mask pain. The tightrope an addict walks is slim and when in recovery they must always be on guard.
“I’m always going to live my life as an addict, but hopefully I’m going to live my life as an addict in recovery,” Odom said. “No more sneaking to get high. No more living in shame. I want to be out in the open, bright-eyed and accountable.”
If this podcast is another outlet to assist Odom in his sobriety journey, that’s a good thing.
“All my doctors that see me say I’m a walking miracle. I had 12 strokes and six heart attacks when I was in a coma,” he said. “Every day, I’m alive. It’s much better than the alternative.”
It’s nice that a fan thought Odom should have his championship rings back and was in a position to give them to him.
The rings each boast several diamonds, and the special engravings on each include realistic portraits of Odom’s face. The ’09 ring weighs in at 75 grams, while the ’10 ring comes in at 69 grams.
Odom was selected fourth overall in the 1999 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. He played 14 seasons in the league, was a two-time champion with the Lakers, and was Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. He also played for the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.
He played collegiately at Rhode Island for one year (1998-1999), where he was named Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year. This following a distinguished prep career where Odom played for legendary New York City high school Christ The King. He was a two-time Parade All-American and the Parade Player of the year in 1997.
