Lamar Odom to Make a Comeback In the BIG3 Basketball League’s Third Season

June 15, 2019 | CBN

Lamar Odom

“I REFUSE to listen to my fears but instead follow my heart”

It was in October of 2015 that two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel, on the brink of death.

Odom was sent to a Las Vegas hospital where he suffered twelve strokes and six heart attacks in a coma, with “cocaine and opiates” detected in his system; clinging on for dear life. “All my doctors that see me say I’m a walking miracle”, Odom had shared on Kevin Hart’s YouTube series, “Cold as Balls”.

Following his tragic health scare, Odom entered a rehab facility and after a 30-day stay, began to get back to his physically active self. But in November of 2017, he unfortunately relapsed – collapsing at a Los Angeles nightclub due to “dehydration” – but later revealing that he was, in actuality, still battling an addiction to crack-cocaine and alcohol.

But fast-forward to 2019, and the 39-year old former NBA player is making a comeback: Not only to better health, but to the game of basketball.

Odom will be competing in Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz’s BIG3 basketball 3-on-3 games as co-captain for the new Enemies team – and will be joined by Gilbert Arenas, Perry Jones III, Craig Smith, Royce White, Frank Robinson and Rick Mahorn; one of several retired NBA players who became coaches.

"The reason I am making a comeback to basketball is because I REFUSE to listen to my fears but instead follow my heart," Odom said in an Instagram post on April 18th.

"My heart, telling me that I have to play basketball one more time to show people that you can OVERCOME addiction and LIVE a happy life enjoying the little things.

"I used to win NBA championships and chances are small that I will ever be playing on NBA level or maybe I will. Who knows? I am a believer of the POWER OF WILL, that's how I won my championships. I believed I could and I did!

"But listen to this, I don't have to be a NBA champion again to make a difference in the life of my kids, people around me or even in yours. Maybe I can show you that you can become a champion in defeating your addiction or help others defeating theirs. Those are the real champions of this world."

As we get closer and closer to the BIG3’s kickoff date on June 22nd, we look forward to seeing a healthy Lamar Odom grace the court again. And while the 6-foot-10 forward admits that he isn’t the same player from before; telling the LA Times that he can’t dribble the ball like he used to – Odom’s optimism and determination to improve despite his past struggles is what we admire most

 

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