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In a new special, former NBA player Lamar Odom reflected on the highs and lows as a basketball player and also his personal life, including being married to reality star Khloe Kardashian and dealing with substance abuse that led to a near fatal overdose in 2015. The TV special, TMZ Presents: Lamar Odom: S*x, Drugs & Kardashians, premiered on Monday, January 2, at 9 pm ET on Fox.
The celebrity has seen quite a bit in life, with a number of trials and tribulations on several fronts. Dealing with drug abuse, a failed marriage, the death of his son, his marriage to Karadshian, and his fatal overdose that led to The Kardashians star pulling the plug on their relationship - are just some of the many instances that led to him deciding to turn his life around.
Fans who have been loyally following the star's journey took to Twitter to express their feelings while watching the special.
While some were shocked at the revelations made by Lamar, others were glad he could come out of his troubled past and emerge as a much better person. Some also expressed their views regarding his marriage to Kardashian. One tweeted:
Netizens react to watching Lamar Odom in the Fox special
Fans took to social media to express their opinions on the special. Check out what they have to say below:
A look at major revelations made by Lamar Odom in the special
Lamar Odom has faced a tough time since childhood, having a father addicted to drugs. The former basketball player's substance abuse journey began in high school when he was seen consuming weed. Throughout his years growing up, life was surrounded by parties, women, and drugs.
The star dated his high school love, Liza Morales, for over 10 years. The pair welcomed their daughter Destiny in 1998 and son Lamar Jr. in 2002. His life took a turn for the worse when his third son Jayden died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in 2005.
Recalling the incident, the star said that he was out partying all night when it happened. He said:
“His mother let out a cry in that hospital I [would not] have wished on my worst enemy. Had to forgive myself too because when he passed away, I was out partying all night. I wasn’t even in the house. Like a bum. … [But I also wonder] how it would have affected me if I was there, and I had to see him like that. Some things you just have to give to God.”
After his partying lifestyle increased following the death of his son, Morales ended their relationship for good. The pair were engaged in 2000 but never married. Odom then met Khloe Kardashian in 2009 and the duo got married within a month of getting acquainted. Their marriage lasted until 2016 as The Kardashians star ended her marriage following cheating scandals and a drug overdose incident.
The former couple's journey was documented on E!'s flagship show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and their spin-off Khloe & Lamar. It was when Odom was traded to the Dallas Mavericks two years after their marriage that he fell into his old habits.
In the special, the former player discussed how he resorted to drugs and cheating. He stated having "a wife in Kardashian and a girlfriend in drugs." However, he admitted to coming clean with her about his drug use "for the most part" of their marriage. While admitting that he put his ex-wife through a lot, the former NBA player stated:
"I had to tell her. You can’t hide that. She was hurt. But Khloe was a good wife. She wasn’t dismissive, or like, ‘Get away from me’ or ugly and nasty. She wanted to protect me. Behind the scenes, I put her through s**t."
Lamar continued:
"The s**t y'all know, what y'all think y'all know, it's crazy. But the stories that y'all don't know is, like, really crazy. I had these random women coming out … I was having full-blown relationships on the road, and my wife is Khloe Kardashian. It’s buggin’. I’m laughing out of embarrassment.”
Khloe Kardashian pulled the plug on their marriage after he released a video of himself bragging about cheating on her in November 2013. However, Odom didn't sign the divorce papers, hoping for a reunion. A tense meeting outside SoulCycle with Kardashian, which he felt was set up by her mother, Kris Jenner, was the last straw.
He went to the Bunny Ranch in Nevada after signing the paperwork and nearly died following an overdose in October 2015. While he appreciated Khloe Kardashian for being there with him throughout the process of recovery, he also recognized that he wasn't more cognitive. He further claimed that a brothel's then-owner Dennis Hof, who died in 2018, wanted to "kill him."
Lamar said:
“I went there. I didn’t do drugs that night. … I got there, had the drink and woke up three days later ripping tubes out of my neck, not knowing how I got there. I wound up with drugs in my system."
The star detailed how substance abuse destroyed his life as he struggled personally and financially, selling his Lakers championship rings and spending money on friends and family. He, however, maintained that his "love for life" and the presence of God helped bring him to the other side.
While he was open to a reconciliation with Kardashian, stating that no one but her made him feel "secure," he no longer felt that he could or should reach out.
“Do I ever think I could be in love like that again? That could possibly happen. If I open myself up enough. I’m not a loser and I felt like I lost. I would love to just take Khloé out to dinner. [But] I’m too shy and I’m a Scorpio and I hate being told no or being denied. I’m afraid.”
Other aspects that Lamar detailed in his special included his experiences at the hospital while he was admitted during the overdose incident, the incident at SoulCycle, coming clean from addiction, and speaking on Khloe Kardashian's ex-partner Tristan Thompson's cheating scandal, among others.
