Lamar Odom almost died three years ago, when he was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel — a result of excess substance abuse, kidney failure, and several strokes. He was lucky to live through that ordeal, but now he wants to continue his career as a pro basketball player.
Odom hasn’t suited up for an NBA team since 2013, last playing for the Clippers. His most prominent time in the Association was with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2004 to 2011, where he won two NBA titles (2009 and 2010) and was named the Sixth Man of the Year in his final year with the team.
Now 38-years-old, sober, and healthy, Odom wants to get back on a basketball court. He reportedly toyed with the idea of signing with the Big 3 league, the 3-on-3 showcase run by rapper Ice Cube and home to a number of former NBA stars. However, Odom announced on Thursday that he will be taking his talents to the Far East, to borrow a phrase from LeBron, and resuming his pro baller career in China.
Odom doesn’t announce which team he might be playing for, but he’s hardly the first former NBA star to join the Chinese league for one last payday before real retirement.