It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Lamar Odom play basketball. The former Sixth Man of the Year and two-time NBA champion hasn’t been in the league since the 2012-13 campaign, in which he appeared in all 82 games for the Los Angeles Clippers. As it turns out, his return to basketball is on the horizon, something he foreshadowed at the end of 2018.
Back in November during an an interview with Ryan Ward of Clutch Points, Odom said he’s currently working to get his body right. This is all with the hopes of appearing in the third year of the BIG3 and in China’s top basketball league, where guys like Stephon Marbury and Jimmer Fredette have gone to extend their careers.
“Yeah,” Odom said when asked about joining the BIG3 next year. “I’m getting myself into game shape, which I’m not too far from it now. I’ll be playing. Hopefully, I’ll be playing. I also plan to play in the CBA in China in 2019.”
As it turns out, Odom is, indeed, going to suit up in Ice Cube’s 3-on-3 league, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
Former Laker Lamar Odom has signed with the BIG3 to join the 2019 Draft Pool.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 7, 2019
It would be quite the comeback for Odom, who has gone through some well-documented struggles off the court — his agent said in the interview Odom “is currently thinking about becoming a mental health advocate to mainly address topics such as anxiety and depression.” Really, it’ll just be great to see Odom back on the floor, as his career ended when he was 33 and he’s made it clear on a few occasions that he wants to play basketball again.
