RealGM

THE HAPPIEST Laker is the one whose father was addicted to heroin, whose mother died of colon cancer when he was 12, who attended three high schools, had his first college scholarship revoked before the fall semester of his freshman year, became a subject of three college investigations, declared for the NBA draft, tried unsuccessfully to pull out of the draft, was picked by arguably the worst franchise in sports, violated the league's antidrug policy twice within eight months and after finally getting his life together, went home to New York City for an aunt's funeral and wound up burying his 6½-month-old son, then getting robbed at gunpoint.

BEFORE EVERY game the Lakers lock arms and form a circle around Odom. He is an unusual centerpiece: not their captain, not their best player, not their second best player, and when center Andrew Bynum returns from his knee injury, maybe not even their third best player.

Lakers G.M. Mitch Kupchak says Odom is the most popular player in L.A.'s locker room, but he also might be the most popular player in the locker room next door. The Los Angeles D-Fenders are the Lakers' developmental-league affiliate; they practice in the same gym and play on the same court as the NBA players but reap few of the other benefits. "Most guys at that level don't have time for us," says guard Brandon Heath. "But L.O. is always telling us to come over to his house, offering to take us out to dinner. We could damn near go over there in our drawers, and he'd probably take us to buy clothes."

Odom has a hard time saying no to parents as well. "I know one boy who doesn't even play basketball, but Lamar pays his tuition," says Joseph Arbitello, a former teammate of Odom's at Christ the King in Queens, N.Y., and now the coach and athletic director there. "His mother was struggling, so she called Lamar and he took care of it."

"I sometimes have to stop and remind myself how much this guy has been through and how much he's lost," Fisher says. "I'm sure there is anger and disappointment inside of him, but to have his spirit, to have his approach to everyday life, I don't know how he does it."

"A lot of people have wasted a lot of time thinking about who they want Lamar Odom to be rather than appreciating him for who he is," says Jeff Van Gundy, the ESPN analyst who was coaching the Knicks when Odom was making headlines as a New York City high school star. "I always look back at where he started. In stories like his, you don't see a lot of happy endings. So when you do see one, I think it should be celebrated."

TonyMontana wrote:I told you guys Mang, Lamar is the most coolest most humbelest cat you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
He is so down to earth, he talks to you like your one of boys and he threats everyone with love and respect. I like him and I think even though we expect a lot out of him, he still comes through for us.
All I want is for this team to win a title and have these guys know how it feels to be a champion.