The Tragic Stroy of Lamar Odom, from fame to fall, Dumped by Khloe, ditched by the NBA, wracked by family tragedy

Lamar Odom has a history of drug problems and was forced to watch his mother, son, grandmother and best friend pass away in tragic fashion.

The NBA star grew up with a drug addict father, was suspended from the league for using cannabis and was recently devastated by the death of his best friend who had issues with heroin.

 

The 35 year old, who once said 'death always seems to be around me', was dropped from the LA Clippers in 2013 as his performances faltered amidst claims he was using drugs. 

His substance-abuse problem was one of the reasons Khloe Kardashian allegedly filed for divorce in December 2013.

The fallen athlete was taken to hospital fighting for his life on Tuesday night after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel.

Four years ago, Odom was also a passenger in a SUV involved in a car crash that killed a 12-year-old boy and attended the funeral of his 24-year-old cousin, after he had been 'murdered.'

In June, Odom's best friend Jamie Sangouthai died from a flesh-eating bacteria in his arm caused by an infection from dirty needles. He was believed to have been struggling with drug issues.

But Odom's turmoil began when his mother, Cathy Mercer, died of colon cancer when he was 12. 

He didn't have much of a relationship with his father Joe, who was a heroin addict.  

He said on one episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians: 'When my mother died, I went on the court and played basketball all day, I didn't even go in the house to eat. Just played basketball.'

After Mercer's death, Odom was raised by his grandmother, Mildred Mercer, who died in 2004.

Odom told the LA Times in 2011: 'Death always seems to be around me. I've been burying people for a long time. When I had to bury my child, I probably didn't start grieving until a year and a half later.

'I think the effects of seeing [my cousin] die and then watching this kid die, it beat me down. I consider myself a little weak. I thought I was breaking down mentally. I'm doing a lot of reflecting.' 

That same year, during Kardahsian's and Odom's reality series, Khloe and Lamar, his father Joe reached out to him at a book signing. 

They tried to form a closer bond, but Joe ended up just asking him for money, food and tickets to his games.  

Odom and Kardashian finalized their divorce in July, the same month Khloe had first been spotted with her new boyfriend, Houston Rockets player James Harden.

When the pair split, he had reportedly failed to turn up to counselling sessions and kept relapsing, despite trying to shy away from drugs.

After the divorce, Kardashian was forced to change her phone number because he wouldn't stop calling.

In August, Odom reportedly ambushed his ex-wife outside of a SoulCycle in Los Angeles. According to TMZ, he verbally abused her as she made her way to the gym.

A bystander allegedly asked Kardashian if she wanted them to call the police. Odom reportedly then shouted back: 'You're not going to call the cops on Lamar Odom.'

In the same month he denied the confrontation and told a magazine that any man making a move on his estranged ex-wife was 'wasting his time'.

In a 'rambling' interview with InTouch Magazine, the former professional basketball player supposedly admitting cheating on the 31-year-old, but reveals he will 'never be completely happy' without the E! star.

 

Despite Odom's personal problems, he was set for a promising sporting career.  

In 1999, he was selected fourth overall in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and was expected to become a star.

In 2001, just one day after his 22nd birthday, Odom admitted that he'd used marijuana.

He won the NBA Championship twice, took the gold medal in the FIBA World Championships with the United States in 2010 and was named in the NBA All-Rookie team in 2000.  

After the Clippers dropped him in 2013, he tried to revive his career with Spanish club Laboral Kutxa. He then had a brief stint with the New York Knicks in 2014.

He hasn't played professional basketball since.  

Khloe and Lamar first met in August 2009 at a party for his Lakers teammate Metta World Peace.

The couple started going on sushi dates, and even hit the red carpet for Whiteout on September 9.

Soon after they announced their engagement, which they shared on her reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

The athlete wanted to tie the knot before basketball season began so they wed - only one month after meeting - in a lavish September 27 ceremony at music mogul Irving Azoff's Beverly Hills house.

Khloe defended their marriage tirelessly and said they were fine but by the spring of 2013 rumors started to fly that Lamar was cheating.

Still, in June he was by Khloe's side for Kim's baby shower. But later that summer it was reported he had cheated with several women, including lawyer Polina Polonsky.

In August the Kardashian Kollection designer kicked him out of their house and he started living with friends. 

Reports of drug use surfaced, with Lamar accused of smoking the Class A drug crack cocaine.

Daily Mail