Lamar Odom plans to retire as a Los Angeles Laker

Former NBA star and NBA Champion Lamar Odom wants to retire as a Los Angeles Laker.

When people discuss Kobe Bryant, they love to mention that he won his last two NBA titles by “himself.” Well, not really. You can never disregard Bryant’s teammates at the time: Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. The latter especially, as he was the 94-feet player that helped propelled the Lakers and Bryant back to glory with his versatile game.

Odom has struggled with his post-NBA life. Odom’s decline began when he was traded from the Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. There, Odom never became the same player and was soon out of the league. While at one point holding animosity toward the Lakers, it appears that Odom wants to eventually retire with the team officially. Speaking with Yahoo’s Shams Charania, Odom shared thoughts on how he’d like to bring closure to his basketball career.

"“My family looks forward to me retiring as a Laker more than me,” Odom told The Vertical. “I’m not really emotional about being praised, about signing for a day. I’m shy at the end of the day. For my son, for my family, for my fans, they may enjoy that day. It’s for them."

Odom also spoke on the possibility of returning to the Lakers as a coach in some capacity.

"“I’ve thought about coaching with the Lakers, but I don’t know if I’m ready to commit myself,” Odom told The Vertical. “It was cool being back around that environment, watching Lonzo [Ball] work out. You could tell he will be special."

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It’s always a great thing to hear that Odom is back on track. Who knows how great the Lakers would have been had Odom been retained by the Lakers in 2011. Odom’s decline both from a basketball and personal standpoint was disheartening. But, Odom has grown from those situations, turning the negative into a positive.