NBA Basketball star Lamar Odom hasn’t had an easy life with having to deal with a heroin addict for a father. Then when he was twelve his mother died of colon cancer, which left him in the care of his grandmother. At the height of his NBA career, Odom won two NBA championships with the L.A Lakers and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the 2010 -2011 season. After seven seasons with the Lakers he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. His numbers have dwindled in the past few years, which seemingly mirror his current personal struggles.
There has been drug related news swirling around Lamar Odom for a few weeks now. First it was that his wife Khloe Kardashian was divorcing him because of a heroin addiction and now People is reporting that he has in fact checked himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center. However, FoxSports has reported that there may be conflicting information over whether he is in rehab or not. TMZ has reported that he is definitely not in rehab according to close sources to him but won’t name a direct source.
People reports:
Lamar Odom has checked himself into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, two sources confirm to PEOPLE.
“He realized he needs help,” a source says of the NBA free agent and husband of reality star Khloé Kardashian Odom.
Odom’s drug use had been causing trouble in the couple’s marriage, though Kardashian has been focused on getting her husband help.
Late last week, Odom was arrested for DUI.
The basketball player, 32, has admitted to drug use in the past. He violated NBA drug policies twice in eight months back in 2001, and spoke in 2003 of his marijuana use. “I just couldn’t control myself in L.A. … the lifestyle that I was living and the things I had access to,” he said.
Odom’s father struggled with heroin addiction, and Odom once wondered if he was “fighting my father’s demons.”
Regardless of whether Lamar Odom is in rehab or not, if he has an addiction then one way or another treatment and a road to recovery must begin. Addiction does not discriminate and some times high levels or expectations in professional athletes can cause a large amount of stress that can trigger drug use.
If you or someone you know is need of alcohol or heroin treatment, please give us a call at 1-833-596-3502.