Lamar Odom focused on Los Angeles Clippers, ready to put past behind – NBA Update
New Los Angeles Clippers signing Lamar Odom answered a few questions about his struggles over the last year and pledged full commitment to the Clippers at his official presentation. Odom was brought in by the Clippers from Dallas where he had a year to forget.
Odom has history with the Los Angeles Clippers; he started his career with the franchise. Odom has since been around the NBA and was hugely successful playing for the Clippers’ more illustrious neighbours; the Los Angeles Lakers.
Odom won two NBA World Championships and a NBA Sixth Man of the Year award whilst with the Lakers, but his relationship with the franchise was fractured after they tried to trade him away at the start of last season. He then went to the Dallas Mavericks
for a very fruitless year where the owner Mark Cuban was so frustrated with the player that he was made inactive.
All that is what Odom plans to put behind him. He said he is focused on the new challenge at Los Angeles Clippers, who are now a team on the rise, and Lamar is hoping he can get them just that bit higher.
"There's a lot of things I want to make right," he said. "I know what kind of player I am. I just want to get back to that level. I told Coach I'm 100 percent in on whatever he needs and whatever he wants to be done. I'll be his soldier."
He also spoke briefly about his time in Dallas. Odom explained that he wasn’t perhaps in the right state of mind before the trade and thanked the Mavericks players for their support.
"Going into that trade, I was pretty beat up because of some things that happened off the court," Odom added. "Those guys (in Dallas) stuck by me, and I wish them the best, but I'm so grateful to be here."
Other question marks over Odom included his off court endeavours; notably a reality TV show alongside his wife that many believe has divided his focus. Lamar though didn’t buy that.
"I never knew I was going to have a hit TV show. I didn't plan it, but my focus to basketball is there."
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