Lamar Odom: Ex-Mav Fights For Life In Vegas

Lamar Odom: Former Dallas Mavericks forward is found unconscious in a brothel outside Las Vegas and is now fighting for his life.

If I asked you to mention the worst trade acquisition in recent Dallas Mavericks history, what name would come to mind?

I’m betting my wooden nickels that point guard Rajon Rondo is the overwhelming favorite.

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For me, it has to be forward Lamar Odom – but not by very much.

Odom worked out for the Mavericks about as well as he did at a Nevada brothel called Love Ranch this week. The 35-year old NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011 was found unresponsive on Tuesday and then driven to a Las Vegas hospital, according to TMZ Sports.

Apparently, this is not just a matter of having partied too much during a bad week near ‘Sin City.’

Lamar Odom apparently is suffering from numerous complications stemming from drug use, which includes both cocaine and over the counter sexual performance supplements. He’s currently in a coma and his heart is reportedly failing.

Odom’s wife, Khloé Kardashian, is with Odom and is making medical decisions on his behalf.

A story that might have seemed humorous at first glance is turning out to be a pending tragedy for a player who sports Los Angeles Lakers championship rings from 2009 and 2010.

Not long after those accomplishments, the Mavericks stormed to an NBA championship of their own in 2011, ironically sweeping the Lakers in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs that summer.

As Lakers head coach Phil Jackson was set to retire again following the sweep at American Airlines Center, Los Angeles hired Mike Brown as his replacement. Gone would be the triangle offense that had been so successful for Jackson with the Lakers and Chicago Bulls – and Odom would follow as well.

Dallas handed over a first-round draft pick and lots of cash for Odom’s services as it was believed that he would team with forward Dirk Nowitzki to create one of the better front courts in the Western Conference as the Mavericks embarked on the defense of their first world championship.

Not so fast.

Odom would start just four games for Dallas in a mess of a season that saw career lows in numerous categories, including rebounds of any kind. Odom’s playing time was also greatly diminished compared to where it had been just a year before and prior.

Yes, the Mavericks had just traded premium resources for an absolute lemon of a player that to this very day doesn’t have things going in a positive direction.

Much like the Rondo crash last spring, Odom and Carlisle clashed on a few occasions that resulted in his deactivation and subsequent trade from the Mavericks following the season.

Lamar Odom last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers, the same team that drafted him 4th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft.

Odom and Kardashian starred briefly in the reality television show ‘Khloé & Lamar,’ which aired on E! for two seasons before being cancelled.

Since then, it’s been a series of pitfalls for Odom, which culminated with Kardashian filing for divorce in late 2013 – that matter has yet to be finalized.

At this point, it’s tempting to say that things can’t get any worse for Lamar Odom, but that might be stretching it by a long shot.

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