During a night designed to celebrate the NBA life and times of Kobe Bryant, the Staples Center reserved one of its largest cheers for another player: former Laker Lamar Odom, who appeared in a tribute to Bryant, his former teammate.
Odom continues to recover his full faculties after a drug overdose last October nearly killed him. And yet, in a sideline interview with Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, Odom weighed a notion that months ago seemed at best improbable and likely impossible: He plans to play again. "I still got it," he said.
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Of course, Odom's ongoing, on-again, off-again relationship with Khloe Kardashian makes him even more of a public figure than both athletes. And thus the interest in his recovery — and his personal life — becomes fodder for the celebrity rumor mill.
The most recent drama surrounding Odom? Reports that Kardashian has re-filed divorce papers amidst rumors that Odom is drinking again. According to the New York Daily News, Odom was seen drinking last month in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
When asked about an impending divorce, Odom offered a mysterious and meandering response to ET.
"Everything is under discussion," he said. "We talk about anything. We've been through a lot. It won't ever stop."
As for the speculation about his drinking? Odom says "only a few people know the truth. I keep that close to my heart."
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Odom and Kardashian married in 2009 and separated in 2013. Last October's near-tragedy and the months of rehab and recovery that followed led to Kardashian stalling divorce proceedings.
In the spirit of the evening, Odom also remarked on Kobe — a teammate, he said, that inspired him on and off the court. Odom's part of the tribute was one of the most moving:
If Odom does indeed plan to return to the NBA, he does so having not played in the league since the 2012-13 season, when he logged minutes in all 82 games for the Clippers. His per-game totals of 19.7 minutes, 4.0 points, 1.8 field goals and 1.7 assists were all career lows.