Former NBA star Lamar Odom has broken his silence after he was arrested in Las Vegas in the wee hours of Saturday for allegedly driving under the influence.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Odom, 46, denied being under the influence of narcotics or alcohol when police pulled him over. He also stated that he’s completely owning up to what he did, and he has to be extra responsible while driving.
Despite addressing the incident, the former Los Angeles Lakers star and two-time NBA champion did not disclose if he had something in his system at the time he was arrested.
“I am learning from this experience and remain committed to my continued growth,” Odom said. “I’ve worked hard to rebuild my life, and taking responsibility is an essential part of that process.”
He added: “I am cooperating fully, staying honest, and focused on moving forward with integrity. Thank you to those who continue to support me.”
Per TMZ, law enforcement arrested Odom following a traffic stop. Authorities are still investigating the case.
Odom received two traffic violations: one for driving over 41+ miles per hour over the limit and the other for improper lane change/failure to maintain lane.
In the aftermath of the incident, police claimed that when they pulled Odom over, he had bloodshot, watery eyes and weed was emanating from his car. Odom also denied consuming alcohol before driving, per TMZ Sports.
And though Odom also later told the officers that he “does not smoke marijuana,” he later admitted to doing that “hours, hours earlier” in the day. He ultimately underwent sobriety tests.
This isn’t the first time that the 46-year-old has been charged with driving under the influence. He was similarly arrested in connection with the same crime in 2013.
In October 2015, Odom had a brush with death after he was found unresponsive in a Nevada brothel following an alleged drug overdose. The October incident left him in a coma and on life support. He also suffered kidney failure, heart attacks, and multiple strokes.
However, following his recovery, Odom claimed he was drugged the night before he was found unresponsive in the brothel. “I didn’t take anything that night,” Odom said in an interview on Addiction Talk. “I was really hurt and almost in some sense afraid because somebody just tried to take my life.”
Odom also said God gave him another shot at life because he genuinely hadn’t consumed any drugs leading up to the alleged overdose. The retired basketball star said that incident spurred him to seek help and permanently stay clean as he hit “rock bottom.”
In 2023, Face2Face Africa reported that the two-time NBA champion had acquired three drug rehabilitation centers in California to help people beat addiction. Odom’s investment in the rehab centers came seven years after his near-death experience at Nevada’s Love Ranch brothel. The 46-year-old was battling drug addiction and depression at the time.
