Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6, 1979, in South
Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American
professional basketball player who currently starts
at power forward for the National Basketball
Association's Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1997, Odom was the #1 ranked High School
All-American in the US, and had earned a good
reputation among basketball scouts for his excellent
ball-handling and passing ability despite his size
(6 foot 10 inches (208 cm)). Odom is also one of the
few players who can also play any of the 5 positions
of the NBA. He can dribble the ball up the court in
traffic and make quick decisions like a point guard,
shoot long distance and carry a team with drives and
quick cuts like a shooting guard, inbound, passes
from long distance and shoot threes like a small
forward, can hit the small the small jumper from 15
feet like a power forward and can post up and dunk
like a center. In addition, his length has allowed
him to become a proficient shotblocker as of late,
establishing him as one of the Lakers' premier
defenders.
Odom, his longtime companion Liza Morales, their
8-year-old daughter, Destiny, and 5-year-old son,
L.J., live in New York.
On June 29, 2006 Odom's 6½-month-old infant son
Jayden died from suffocation while sleeping in his
crib in New York. He died on the same day as Odom's
grandmother.
Odom also has his own music and film production
company, Rich Soil Entertainment.
