Lamar Odom is admitting his long battle with addiction and “cocaine summers” ultimately cost him the chance to reach basketball's highest individual honor.
Speaking on Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter's Cousins podcast, Odom reflected on when his struggles first began. When asked where things went off track, he answered bluntly: "Pot."
"But a lot of people don't have addiction genetically passed down to them," Odom said. "My father was a heroin addict. If you start with pot and it doesn't get high no more, you're like, 'Maybe I'll try cocaine.'"
He said his introduction to drugs came during his teenage years while coping with deep personal loss.
"Like 14, 15," Odom said of when he started smoking. "My mom died when I was 12 years old. So when your moms die, and you're in New York City, it's tough … Part of me was like, fuck it, and then part of me was like, I gotta really get it done."
Odom later acknowledged that cocaine became part of his life, particularly during the NBA offseason.
"I'll keep it real with you, I loved drugs,” he said. “You're talking to a real addict. I sniffed cocaine. … I had some great cocaine summers. That was my way of beating the system."
Despite managing to avoid using during the season due to league drug testing, Odom said the damage to his overall career trajectory was significant.
"Hell yea. A hundred percent, I should be where y'all at in the Hall of Fame," he said. "I had people coming to me before I got to the NBA saying, 'Yo, you a hall of famer.'"
Odom pointed out that even while juggling distractions, he was still able to perform at a high level, referencing his Sixth Man of the Year season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Let's keep it real … I shot a reality show in-season, that means I was playing in the game, winning Sixth Man of the Year and shooting a reality show," he said. "I knew I had the grit and the makeup."
Odom played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning two championships and earning a reputation as one of the most versatile forwards of his era.
Still, he acknowledged the long-term impact on his legacy, saying, "When I think about overall greatness and legacy, yeah I hurt that by using drugs, but I'm gonna stand on that."
Odom also reflected on his life beyond the sport, suggesting his journey may have a larger purpose.
"I think about my life and the ups and the downs, I probably been put here to do something more than just play basketball," he said.